


Woman Like Me | Keith Richards

by TunaDiamond



Category: Billie Eilish (Musician), The Beatles (Band), The Rolling Stones, Wings | Paul McCartney and Wings (Band)
Genre: Anal, Drug Abuse, Drugs, F/M, Fluff, Harry Styles - Freeform, Lemons, Liam Payne - Freeform, Louis Tomlinson - Freeform, Oral, Queen - Freeform, Rock and Roll, Sex, Smut, Substance Abuse, Teenager, The Beatles - Freeform, The Faces, The Rolling Stones - Freeform, Underage - Freeform, Vaginal, homsexual, larry stylinson - Freeform, one direction - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-29
Updated: 2020-04-10
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:16:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 30
Words: 34,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23382184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TunaDiamond/pseuds/TunaDiamond
Summary: Lennon's new next door neighbour is her longtime celebrity crush, Keith Richards.How much of a daydream is it to think that the Rolling Stone would fall for a woman like her?Well, when she finds Keith Richards at her mercy one Saturday evening, she doesn't think it's too outlandish of a thought.
Relationships: Anita Pallenberg/Keith Richards, Barbara Bach/Ringo Starr, Keith Richards/Original Female Character(s), Linda McCartney/Paul McCartney
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on wattpad.com for more fanfictions. On both this site and there, my username is the same! TunaDiamond

"Next door's got a new car." I observed as I watched the goings-on of the street I lived in, specifically focusing on the beautiful suburban home which was attached to my own.

"No, dear, they haven't." I looked over my shoulder at my mum, busy whisking some egg yolks in a ceramic bowl.

"Well they have." I answered. "It's a Ferrari. Yesterday, Mr and Mrs Quincy had a -"

"We've got new neighbours, Lenny." My mother smiled. "Mr and Mrs Richards."

"Oh." I put the curtain back into place and went to sit on the settee in my room, "wonderful."  
"They have a little boy, as well." My mother continued. "I think his name is Marlon? I'm making a pumpkin loaf for them as a welcoming gift, I thought maybe you could run it over for me?"  
I groaned, leaning forward and grabbing my laptop from the coffee table. I opened it up, waiting for the Mac to load. I loved my little loft; the settee, my 42-inch television, my double bed beside the wall-wide window. The whole aesthetic of it; the sunflowers, the fairy lights. It was my personal sanctuary.

"Yeah, sure." I answered, loaded with attitude. "Whatever."  
"Ay!" My mum exclaimed, "don't be cheeky!" She wagged a finger at me, "I'm going to finish this. Come down in about an hour."

Again, I groaned. " _Yes, mum_." I sarcastically waved her out of my attic, rolling my eyes as she turned. She left with a bright smile and a wave.

I huffed, bored. I put the laptop onto the coffee table again, this time with the lid open, and went back over to the window. I pulled back the curtain and peered at next door again.

This time, there was a man outside. He was walking around carrying a box which looked to be full of living room items, and there was a little boy - a toddler - at his heels. I watched with a small smile on my face as he - I'm assuming he was Mr Richards - put the box down on the bonnet of his car and then turned, picking up the little boy - most likely Marlon - and swung him around in his arms. That was nice. I wished that my father had been like that with me when I was a little girl.

I was so caught up and distracted by my own thoughts that I didn't notice the man smiling at me, Marlon still in his arms. After a few seconds of Mr Richards watching me, I gave him a little smile - and he waved back, holding his son with one arm.

And then his wife appeared, probably calling him back inside. Mr Richards put Marlon down and then picked up the box, going into his new house. Marlon followed him. From two floors up, I had been unable to see much of Mr Richards, but I could see that he had a young face despite the fact that he had black hair which looked to be speckled with grey. He looked like a rocker; maybe he was in a band I knew?

I listened to a lot of the old bands; _The Beatles_ , _The Rolling Stones_ , etc. That was all my dad's influence - he even called me after his favourite singer of all time; John Lennon.

My name was Lennon. Lennon Moskovitz.

Most people called me Lenny, though. It was easier to say that Lennon, and sounded a little bit nicer for a girl.

"Lenny!" I heard my mum call from downstairs. Groaning again, I stomped over to the door of my attic and opened it. 

"What?!" I called in reply.

"Dinner!"  
I hurried downstairs and found my mum plating up the food that she had cooked. I sat at our breakfast bar and waited for her to put it in front of me.

She sat beside me as we ate. "The pumpkin bread will be done in a few minutes." She said. "We'll let it cool for a bit and then I'll wrap it up for you -"

"You're really going to miss this, aren't you?" I asked, interrupting her.

"Miss what, dear?" Mum replied, trying to be as positive as she could - and also trying to ignore the elephant in the room.

"Dinners together." I answered. "Yelling at me from down here, cooking whenever you get the overwhelming urge to -"

"I'll miss you, Lenny." Mum answered, wrapping her arms around me and squeezing so tight that I dropped my cutlery onto my plate with a clatter. She kissed the side of my head and then let go. She took a deep breath, " _but_ it has to be done."  
"Does it really?" I raised an eyebrow. "Those kids in Africa have coped fine up until now -"

"You and I both know that is an insensitive thing to say." The oven timer started going off. Mum got up and put her oven gloves on, getting the loaf of pumpkin bread out and leaving it on the side to cool before taking the gloves off again and returning to her dinner. "And they _do_ need me." I sighed in response. "Come on, Lenny love," she said, trying to look on the bright side (as usual). "It won't be for long."

"You'll be gone for a year, mum." I pointed out. "That is _quite_ a long time to leave your seventeen year old at home by herself for -"

"Well maybe we can find someone to look in on you, then." Mum smiled and I turned to her, my mouth open in disbelief. "What?" She asked in a genuine tone of voice.

"I don't want _someone_ to look in on me!" I exclaimed, standing up and throwing my cutlery onto my plate, "I want _you_ to look in on me!" I cried. "Mummy, don't go!"  
I started crying. Mum looked at me and it seemed as though her heart broke. "Oh, dear..." she cooed, holding her arms out to me. I almost fell into them in my haste to get to her, "I can't cancel it now... they're counting on me... but maybe I could come back for a week here and there -"

I pulled away from her and took a deep breath, recovering myself. I placed one finger under each eye to try and fix the eyeliner which was probably running down my face - I never wore waterproof eyeliner because it was a nightmare to get off. 

"I'll drive you to the airport tomorrow morning."

Looking a little shocked, mum nodded and then went back to eating her food. I went over to the pumpkin loaf and took it out of its baking tray. I wrapped it in a tea towel and then put it into the stupid little basket that mum had bought for giving away her baked treats.

"I'll take this over to the Richards'." Mum nodded, speechless, as I walked out of the house and across our lawn to get to next door.


	2. Chapter 2

I knocked on the door and then took a step back so that I wouldn't be completely in the face of whoever opened the door... but as it turned out, I hadn't needed to worry about that. The door opened and nobody was standing there - or, as it turned out, nobody at _my_ height was. After momentary confusion, I looked down and saw the little boy, Marlon, standing there, confused, looking at me.

"Hello," I smiled as I bent down so I was eye-height with him. "Is your mummy or daddy there?"  
"Mar?!" I heard a male voice calling out from inside the house, "is there someone -" he cut himself off as I saw him scoop up the little boy into his arms - just as he had done forty minutes previously when I had been watching him from upstairs - and then push the front door open some more. I stood up again and smiled at the man. "Ah," the man said in an amused tone of voice, "attic girl."

"Box boy." I replied, hardly thinking about what I was saying.

"Well I wish I was still a boy," the man replied, "because my God you are just divine -"

"Excuse me?" I raised an eyebrow in surprise and slight disgust - this man was at least twenty years older than me... but he was attractive, and the whole rocker look which he was going for really suited him.

"I'm so sorry, darling!" He exclaimed, suddenly realising what he had said. He put his son down, "Mar, why don't you go help mummy in the kitchen, huh?" Marlon nodded and toddled off back down the hallway beside him. "I am so sorry about that." The man apologised again, "sometimes I speak before I think, I -"  
I held up a hand to silence him. "It's quite alright, Mr Richards."  
"You... you know my name already?" He cocked a head at me in surprise.

I smiled and nodded. "My mum told me. Actually, that's why I'm here - she sent me over with a loaf of her pumpkin bread for you and your family to enjoy." I held out the basket to him. Gratefully, he took it, peaking under the kitchen towel at the bread.

"It looks delicious. Please thank your mother for me. And you can call me Keith, really. And your name is...?"

"Keith," I mused, not hearing his question, "Keith Richards..."

"No," he grinned, "that's my name, darling."

"Oh!" I exclaimed, looking back up at him and grinning. "You're _Keith Richards_!"

"Yes," Keith confirmed, "for the last forty years, now."

"No," I said, "you're _the_ Keith Richards!" I clapped my hands together in glee. "I love _The Rolling Stones_! Oh wow! To have you living just next door is super awesome!"  
Keith looked less than impressed, to say the least. "Yeah..." he trailed off, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck, "listen, darling, why don't you come in for a few, eh? My wife was just heading out to the shops. We could talk about the band a little?"

I nodded gleefully, unable to believe that this was happening to me. I was meeting _the_ Keith Richards! Keith turned and led me down the hallway, calling behind him for me to close the front door.

I followed him into the living room, not surprised to find that the Richards' home was a lot larger than mine and mum's. Keith was already sitting on a settee in the middle of the living room. He gestured to the other side of the eight-seater corner sofa and I sat on it, looking around for a few seconds before Keith said, "so what _is_ your name?"

I bit my lip. "Lenny Moskovitz."

"Lenny, huh?" He raised an eyebrow at me and I nodded, feeling like I was under interrogation despite the open and airy living room with the patio doors open. Beyond the neat flower beds I could see all the way to the sea, just a few hundred yards from the end of our back gardens. "What is Lenny short for?"  
"Um..." I bit my lip again. Keith watched me intently, narrowing his eyes and rubbing at his own lips with one thumb as I thought of a name which would sound better than my real one... but I came up blank. I sighed and replied, "Lennon."

"Lennon?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Don't laugh."

"I'm not." Keith held up his arms as one might do if they had a weapon which they had been told to put down by the police. As if he was declaring himself harmless. "I was good friends with John, y'know."

"I know."

"Hmm, yes." Keith replied, "I forgot that you're a fan."  
"I have a lot of your records at mine." I told him.

"Well bring them over and lend 'em to me and I reckon they'd come back signed." Again, I clapped my hands in glee, unable to believe my luck.

"They would!?"  
"Hmm," he confirmed, "and maybe if I have a welcome-to-the-new-house party with a few friends then you could pop over for a bit?"

"A few friends as in...?" I wasn't able to finish my sentence because my heart was beating so fast in my chest out of excitement.

Keith nodded with a grin on his face. "Keith!?" We both turned to where the voice had come from. A beautiful blonde model walked in. So this was Anita Pallenberg, Keith's 'wife'. They'd never married. "Oh!" Anita looked directly at me, "who's this...?"

I stood up and walked straight over to her, shaking her hand and greeting her with a bright smile before I said, "my name's Lenny, Ms Richards." I didn't know what else to call her. She might be offended by Miss Pallenberg, but then she wasn't married to Keith, so she certainly wasn't a Mrs. "I live right next door."  
"Her mother baked us some bread." Keith added in a wry tone, smirking at Anita and myself.

"Pumpkin bread." I confirmed.

"And she likes the band." Keith continued. "I was going to talk to her a little about music while you were out," he paused, looking directly at his wife/girlfriend, "if that's alright with you, _Anita_?"

The way he said her name... it was as if he was daring her to say anything other than "yes."

After a few seconds of hesitation, Anita smiled and looked back at me, looking like the action had pained her, "of course it is..." Marlon came toddling into the room. She picked him up in her arms. "Well, enjoy yourselves... it was nice to meet you, _Lenny_."

"Oh," I said, a little surprised at her brisk exit, "and you...?" I turned to Keith who looked vaguely amused by the whole scene. "She doesn't like me, does she?"  
Keith shrugged. "She's wary of me with any woman."

He stood up and went out onto the patio. I followed him. "Why's that?" He lit a cigarette before placing it between his two lips. I watched, entranced. Keith was beautiful; I had always thought so... but I had fallen in love with his voice. And now here he was, in front of me, acting like another man, albeit slightly flirtatious.

Keith breathed in the smoke and then took the cigarette from his lips, balancing it between two of his fingers and breathing the smoke out before he replied, "because I'm not faithful."

I hadn't expected him to admit that, though I expected it, knowing that all rockers had a reputation for not staying faithful whilst on tour - and sometimes also at home.

"Oh..." I said, unable to think of what else to say. Keith continued to smoke for a minute before he turned to me.

"I think you should go home now."  
"But I thought -"  
"Come back tomorrow, Lenny." He blew out another mouthful of smoke. "I have a terrible headache." As if to accentuate his point, he rubbed his forehead with the hand which he wasn't using to hold his cigarette.

"Oh..." I said again, "okay then, I -"

"Actually," he said, cutting me off, "I'll come to you. What time is your mother out?"  
"She'll be gone for the next year." I told him. Keith looked shocked for a few seconds, but quickly recovered himself. I continued to explain, "she's an immunologist, you see, so she's going to work in Africa for twelve months to help the children there."

Keith grinned, throwing his two hands to the sky, his cigarette perched between two fingers on one hand, "that's perfect!"  
"What is...?" I asked, slightly confused. When he didn't reply, I said, "Keith...?"

"Nothing, pet." The older man replied, turning back to me. "Just that it's every American sit-com ever, isn't it?" I waited for him to explain, because I didn't know what he was talking about. "Parent leaves their gorgeous teenage daughter for a year to work far away, and in that year, the teenager gets married, has three kids and gets a tattoo -"  
"I don't think that's -"  
Keith grinned at me. "See you tomorrow, Lennon."

"Don't call me that!" I snapped, becoming annoyed by the eccentric guitarist. "My name is Lenny!"  
And I turned and stormed out of his house and back over to my own.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning, I woke up with a big smile on my face as I remembered my next door neighbour, the Rolling Stone, Keith Richards. How badly I wanted to pick up the phone and call my dad to tell him...

But he had made it abundantly clear what I meant to him, and it was nothing. Less than nothing, even.

And then the smile slipped from my face as I thought about what my dad was probably doing right now. He was most likely sitting down to breakfast with his new wife, the twenty-one year old Lara, and their one year old twin daughters, Vixen and Viola.

There was somebody at the door, evident because of the doorbell echoing throughout the house - and then I remembered what I had promised to do - drive mum to the airport! I called through the house for her as I dashed to the door to answer it. I threw it open and gasped, immediately turning red as I saw who was standing there.

"K-Keith..." I stammered, standing aside so he could come in. He took off his shades, which were completely necessary to wear in the mid-morning Californian sun.

"Good morning, darling!" He exclaimed as he looked around the hallway briefly before turning back to me, his brown eyes seemed to sparkle in the sunlight that filtered in through the front door. "Ooh, _love_ the outfit!" 

I looked down at what I was wearing - my _Victoria's Secret_ set which barely covered my tits and arse, let alone the rest of my body. I gasped and immediately looked around me for something to cover me with. Keith sighed and took off his own denim jacket, handing it to me and purposely averting his gaze to the far wall. I took the jacket and put it on, holding it closed as I sighed. "Thanks." I mumbled as I closed the front door and led him over to the breakfast bar.

"No problem," he paused, "I just got back from driving your mum to the airport -"  
" _You_ took her?" I asked in disbelief, putting the coffee machine on and then gesturing to it, silently asking Mr Richards if he wanted some. He nodded and I got two mugs out of the cupboard.

"Sure did."

"Why? You two hadn't even met, had you?" I was careful to keep Keith's jacket closed as I rummaged in cupboards and drawers for the utensils which I needed for breakfast and coffee.

"No," he said, "but I knocked early this morning to ask her about something and we just got talking... I offered to run her there to save you getting up."  
"I was going to do it -"  
I put his mug of coffee in front of him, along with the creamer and sugar. He gasped, "don't fall over yourself in a hurry to say thank you!"  
"Sorry." I sat in the chair next time, painfully aware of how the denim jacket rode up my thighs as I sat down. I sipped at the coffee in my own mug - black, like my soul.

"Anyway," he said, stirring creamer into the hot beverage, "your mum asked me to keep an eye on you."

"Oh wonderful," I said wryly, "my mum asked my perverted new neighbour to keep his eye on me... forgive me if I'm not exactly jumping for joy."

Keith looked at me with an unamused expression on his face. "Okay," I said, "maybe I'm being a little harsh - I'm sorry, alright?" He nodded. "I just don't have much good experience with men in my life, so I'm a little defensive."

Keith sighed. "It's okay... but I'm not a pervert, alright? And you shouldn't say I am because it's a very serious accusation and -"

"Okay, Colonel Mustard," I said, waving a hand at him, "I get it. You don't like it. I'm a bitch for calling you that. Message received."

He smiled. "I didn't come over to lecture you, y'know."  
I sighed. "So what did you come over for then, _Keith_?"

"Well some breakfast wouldn't go amiss." I got up and went to go and fulfil his order, though why I wasn't sure. He watched as I rustled up some bacon in a pan on the stove and then buttered some bread. I sat back down, putting his food in front of him. "You're not going to eat?" He asked in disbelief.

I shrugged. "Watching my figure."

Keith sighed and pushed the bacon sandwich in front of me. "You don't need to 'watch your figure'," he said, putting quote marks around the repeated phrase, "you're absolutely perfect just the way you are, and don't let anybody tell you otherwise, okay?" I smiled at him but then pushed the sandwich back.

"You might as well eat it, Richards, because I won't be." He stared at me for a few seconds, trying to make me cave and eat the sandwich, but I didn't. In the end, he picked it up and took a large bite. "And the second reason you came?"

"Oh!" He exclaimed around his mouthful of bacon buttie. "Yeah, right!" He finished his mouthful, swallowed it, then wiped his face with the sandwich, which was something I hadn't seen anybody do before. He fascinated me. When he had recovered himself, he said, "I came to invite you to the housewarming party that I'm throwing tomorrow."

I grinned, already knowing that I was going, but wanting to tease him a little. "Who's going?"  
"Me." Keith answered.

"Obviously." I answered in an amused tone of voice.

"All of the band's been invited." I grinned. "Does that mean you're coming?"  
"Hmm," I teased, "who else is invited?"  
"Well I invited some other... friends... of mine." He paused, "but just because they're invited doesn't mean they'll come - they're very busy people -"  
"Oh come _on_ , Keith!" I exclaimed, unable to contain myself, "who?!"  
He smirked. "Paul McCartney...?"

" _Paul McCartney_!?" I exclaimed in disbelief and excitement. "No way!" Keith nodded. I squealed excitedly. Keith watched me, a grin on his face and a sparkle in his eyes. "Who else!?"  
"Well I invited Ringo and his wife, Barb, as well, but they don't really come unless Paul does, so -"

"BEATLES!" I yelled, jumping up from the breakfast bar and doing a little dance.

Keith laughed as he watched me. My arms were up in the air and I was moving like I hadn't done in years - and then I realised that my body was on display for him to see, and I gasped, pulling the denim jacket closed again.

Keith finished his bacon sandwich and stood up, walking over to me and reaching out slowly with one calloused hand. I watched, holding my breath, as he put a hand on my naked waist. As soon as his palm made contact with me, my skin heated up underneath it, and I gasped. Keith immediately withdrew from me, looking like he had committed a crime. "You don't have to cover up for me, Lenny." He pressed a hot kiss to my cheek and then he was gone, out of the house, leaving me alone with my thoughts and thumping heart.


	4. Chapter 4

That day, I decided to go shopping for something to wear for the housewarming party which Keith was hosting. Excitedly, I ran upstairs and got dressed for the day before I rang my best friend. She answered on the second set of rings.

"Two days," she said in a sarcastic tone, "I'm surprised that you managed to last that long without calling -"

"Hey, Jo!" I exclaimed down the phone.

"Jesus!" She giggled, "who got you a puppy?"  
"I'm going to a party tomorrow!"  
"Ooh!" She said, "am I invited?" As much as I loved Jo, and I was sure that Keith wouldn't mind if I invited her, I didn't want to - I wanted to enjoy Keith and the rest of the Stones, Ringo and Paul, and probably a tonne of other celebrities - by myself.

"Sorry, Jo," I replied, "it's not that kind of a party."

"Oh poop." Josephine replied, sounding sad. I almost felt bad - _almost_.

"Anyway," I said, trying to liven her up a little, "want to go shopping?"  
Shopping _always_ got Jo excited. I could hear her clapping her hands together on the other end of the phone. "I'll be at your's in twenty!"

Twenty minutes later, as promised, Josephine was outside in her Jeep. I ran out of the door - wearing Keith's denim jacket over my outfit. I jumped into the car and put my shades on, wrapping the cloth round my hair to keep it into place.

After I had done that, I threw my arms around Jo in greeting. We giggled, pulling away from each other's embrace only when I heard a now-familiar voice exclaim from a few metres away, "going somewhere?!"

I turned to Keith. He jogged from his doorstep over to the car. Josephine watched, looking slightly disgusted at this older guy lavishing his attention on us - on _me_.

"Yeah," I said, "out."

"Obviously, Lenny." Keith rolled his eyes. "Where _are_ you going?"  
"Len," Jo said, tapping my arm to get my attention, "who's this?"  
I turned to her, "Jo, this is my new next door neighbour, Mr Richards."  
"Mr Richards, huh?" Keith smirked, turning to his side and leaning against the Jeep, still facing me. "It was _Keith_ earlier."

"Yeah," I said in a slightly desperate tone, knowing that Josephine was absolutely terrible for gossip, and if she suspected anything then it would spread round the kids in our town like wildfire. "But now isn't earlier!"  
Keith smirked again. "Do you need cash?" He dug round in his pockets and pulled out what was probably _hundreds_ of dollars in bills. He threw them into the car and then smiled at Jo, whose mouth was wide open in disbelief and shock.

"No." I said, bending down and trying to gather up the bills to give back to him.

But Keith wouldn't take them. He held up a hand to stop me from giving them back. "You two are going shopping right?" Jo nodded, but I tried to say deny it. Keith chuckled, "come back with something pretty for me, yeah?" 

And with that, Jo put her foot down on the gas pedal and we sped off, me still clutching onto the bills that Keith had thrown into the car.

"Okay," Jo said, turning to me once we got on the highway, " _what_ was that all about!?" She sounded extremely amused, and very curious.

I, however, tried to play it off as casual. "What was what?"  
"Your new next door neighbour just gave you literally _hundreds_ of dollars to go shopping with."  
"Um... yeah..."

"And 'it was Keith earlier'?" She asked, mocking his British accent as she spoke. "What the heck!?"

"He's just a friend." I bit my lip, trying to somehow wheedle my way out of this interrogation.

Jo, however, wasn't convinced. "Are you like, his pimp or something?" She asked me, narrowing her eyes.

"What?!" I exclaimed, "ew! Gross! NO!"  
She didn't look convinced. "Uh huh..."  
"Jo!" I said, trying to convince her otherwise, "it's not like that!" She smirked. "It's not!" I insisted, "he's looking after me now that mum's gone! He probably... he probably got that money from her!"  
Jo pulled into the parking lot of the mall, quickly finding a space and killing the engine once we were parked in it. She turned to me, realisation dawning on her face. "Is it _his_ party?!" I stuttered, trying to think of a reply that would throw her off the scent... but she caught on quickly. "Oh my _God_!"  
"What!?" I snapped, losing my patience with her. There was nothing going on between me and Keith. We were just friends... if that.

"Your mum is going to go crazy when she finds out that you're shacking up with a middle-aged man -"  
"Jo!" I snapped again. Jo was quiet, looking at me with a guilty look on her face, "I'm not shacking up with anybody. Mr Richards -" I cut myself off, " _Keith_ ," I corrected, "is just a friend. We met yesterday when mum asked me to take him some bread. He has a wife," I decided to leave out the fact that he wasn't technically _married_ to Anita, "and a son. Now will you PLEASE _shut up_ about Keith, and pimps, and middle-aged men!?" Once I had finished my rant, Josephine was very quiet. When she didn't say anything for two or three minutes, I sighed. "Let's go and get this over with." I said, "I want to get home." I got out of the car and walked towards the mall, not bothering to wait for my best friend to catch me up.


	5. Chapter 5

I yawned, turning over and grabbing my phone from where it had been charging beside me. I waited for the face recognition to work and then opened my phone, scrolling through and replying to my Snapchats before I heard the doorbell echoing throughout the house once again. I groaned and got out of bed. _This had better be important, Keith_ , I thought as I stumbled down the stairs, sleep still clouding my vision.

"I swear, Keith, if this is for another bacon buttie then -" I cut myself off when I saw who was waiting on my doorstep. Not Keith Richards, as I had originally thought, but instead there was a young girl there, only a few years older than me, probably. She was holding the most beautiful bouquet of flowers and a wide smile on her face.

"Not Keith, I'm afraid!" She exclaimed, causing me to wince - it was too early for loud noises. "I have a delivery for a Miss Lennon Moskovitz?"

I gave her my best early morning smile. "That's me."

"Great." She handed me the flowers. I bent down so I could put them onto the floor. "Could you sign this?" _Proof of delivery_ , I thought as I signed my name with a flourish. "Have a great day!" And she turned and hurried down the garden path.

Curiously, I took a step outside and looked over to Keith's house. As I had thought he would be, he was standing on his doorstep watching me. I gave him a small wave in greeting and went to go back inside, but he shouted, "half eight!"  
 _That must be the time the party starts_ , I thought as I went back inside. I scooped up the flowers and went into the kitchen. I put them on the breakfast bar and looked around them for a card. And there was one. I took it from its envelope and read the scrawl written onto it.

_to lenny,_

_bring your records and we'll_

_get them signed_

_love, k_

I groaned and made a mental note to tell Keith not to send me stuff in the future. Not because I didn't _love_ the attention from him - in fact, I revelled in it - but because he had a girlfriend/wife and a little boy. He had a happy family, and I wasn't a homewrecker - and besides, I was technically underage. I was only seventeen.

However, I _did_ love the flowers. They were beautiful. I put them pride of place in the middle of the coffee table in the living room and then went upstairs to get dressed. Today I had no plans, but I knew that there were several seasons of Game of Thrones on my television that were just _begging_ to be watched.

At around lunchtime, the doorbell rang again and I got up, pausing the TV before I went to answer the door.

Keith was standing there, a grin on his face. "There's my girl!"

I giggled, feeling only slightly uncomfortable. He stumbled over the threshold and then fell into me, embracing me. I took a step back and almost fell over, now supporting Keith's full body weight.

He stunk of alcohol! "Are you drunk?" I asked in disbelief and disgust, pushing him off of me.

He smirked. "I've only had a bottle and half of Jack."

I helped him to stand up reasonably straight and then said, "rock and roll, eh, Keith!?" I was disgusted by his current state of consciousness.  
He laughed, throwing his head back against his shoulders as if what I had said was the funniest thing in the world. "You got it, doll!"  
"I am _not_ your doll!" I yelled, turning and striding back down the hall, confident that he would not be able to catch me - but I was wrong. There were hands on my hips and they pulled me back into him. I yelped. "Get off of me!"

Keith did as he had been ordered to. I whirled on him. "Come on, Lenny -"

"Don't 'come on, Lenny' me!" I yelled. "You're drunk and you turn up here to do what, exactly!? To get laid?! Piss off, Richards!" Keith looked like he was going to cry. "Don't turn the waterworks on now!"  
I sprinted up the stairs and he followed me. I went into my attic and sat on the settee. Keith came in a few seconds later, breathing like he had just sprinted a marathon.

He sat at the other end of the settee and then looked at me, tears very clearly falling down his cheeks. "Don't you start as well."

"Me start as well?" I raised an eyebrow, placing a hand on my chest in surprise. "What do you mean by that?"  
"Anita's just had a go at me and said she'd take Marlon if she had anywhere to go." My heart broke for this man. His relationship was obviously not going well.

I moved across the sofa and took the crying man into my arms, putting a hand on the back of his head and pushing him down so he could rest his head on my chest. This was how my mum held me when I was upset. I tried to soothe him with my words, but they didn't help. He just seemed to cry more.

Eventually, I decided to try a different approach. "Are you excited for the party later?" I asked.

Keith nodded against me, his hair against my bare skin which was on show because I hadn't yet changed out of my pyjamas.

"Tell me who's coming, Keith," I pressed, "you already said that Paul and Ringo might be there... but _who_ else?"

He thought for a second. "Do you like _The Who_?" 

"Love them."

"Well I invited Roger Daltrey. He messaged earlier asking if he should bring anything, so he is definitely going to be there." He continued, "and Brian May and Roger Taylor of _Queen_. I invited Freddie Mercury, but apparently he's in Munich with an assistant of his - we can all guess _who_ he's doing out there." I giggled. Keith sat up. He had now stopped crying and instead had a small smile on his face. I felt a sense of pride - _I_ had put the smile on that face. "Are you looking forward to it?" I nodded, grinning widely. "Leave your records by the door and we'll get people to sign them as they come and go."

I threw my arms around him, "thanks, Keith!"


	6. Chapter 6

Keith spent the rest of the day with me. We continued watching Game of Thrones, cuddled up close to one another on the sofa - in a friendly way, obviously. I enjoyed spending time with him, and I wasn't afraid to show that. I think the feeling was mutual.

At about seven o'clock, I climbed out of Keith's arms. "I have to go and get ready." I had been feeding Keith carbohydrates and making him drink coffee all day, so he was quite sober by that time.

"What time is it?" He asked in reply.

"Seven o'clock." I answered. "It starts at half eight, right?" He nodded and got off of the sofa, bending back slightly and clicking his back.

I watched, fascinated. The sound that was made when somebody cracked a joint entranced me. Keith clapped in my face, chuckling as I snapped back into reality. "I can't wait to see what you're wearing tonight," he said, "did you get something nice at the mall yesterday?"

"Yep!" I enthused. "Oh! Do you want your change?" He shook his head.

"Buy yourself a new record or something." He grinned and then leaned forward, kissing my cheek. I could feel myself blushing, but I tried to act natural. "See you in a bit, Lenny." And Keith turned and left my house, calling over his shoulder, "and thanks for today!" as he went.

* * * * *

An hour and a half later, I was ready to go... but I didn't want to be eager, so I decided to make myself a sandwich before I went because I didn't want to look like a pig in front of everybody if I got hungry.

After I had eaten the sandwich, I picked up my phone and put it into my purse before I left my house and walked over to Keith's. The door was closed, so I knocked on it. Anita opened it, an unamused look on her face when she saw me.

"He invited _you_!?" She asked in disbelief and disgust by way of a greeting.

I smiled, "so lovely to see you too, Anita." I patted her shoulder and walked past her, further into the house. Keith was in the kitchen, which happened to be the very first room I went in.

"And she's here!" He threw his arms up, a red cup in one hand, and cheered. The man beside him turned and my eyes widened and my mouth fell open as I saw who it was. "Mick!" Keith exclaimed, putting his empty hand on his friend's shoulder, "this is the girl I was telling you about - her name's -"

"Lenny." Mick interrupted, finishing the sentence. "I know, Keith. She's all you've spoken about since I got here."

I blushed again. "Keith!" Anita exclaimed as she hurried into the kitchen, an unhappy look on her face, "you invited a _minor_ to a party with booze and drugs -"  
"No drugs tonight." Keith said firmly. I turned to Anita, whose face had fallen. She obviously was only sticking around for the drugs.

Mick crossed the large kitchen and stood right beside me, so close that I could smell his aftershave. "Lenny," he held out a hand, and I shook it, "so lovely to meet you, dear. Don't mind Anita - she's just sour because Keith's got his eyes on a younger girl -"  
"I don't think -"

"Drink?" Keith asked as he interrupted us, holding out a red cup to me. I thanked him and took it, taking a small sip of the beverage inside. I subconsciously noticed that Anita had left the room. "It's Jack Daniels and coke." I took another swig and winced. The drink was so bitter. "Mostly Jack." Mick chuckled.

"You look an absolute vision in that dress." I thanked him again, aware that it was hardly a dress - more like two pieces of material held together by black satin ribbon. "Did you bring your records?"

I shook my head. "I couldn't carry them all over in these heels." I gestured to my feet. I was wearing black strappy stilettos. Keith nodded.

"Indeed not." He agreed. "Mick and I will go over for you and get them -"

"We will?" Mick asked in surprise, choking on his drink when he heard Keith volunteer him for something.

Deciding that for once in my life I was going to take a risk and become the woman I wanted to be, I turned to Mick and reached up with one hand to place it on the back of his neck. Mick was helpless to resist me as I looked into his eyes and he looked down at my breasts, which were on full display for anybody who wanted to look. I loved this dress because it was daring, and because it drew attention to my body and its assets.

"Please, Mick...?" I asked, turning my head slightly so I could down the rest of what was in my cup.

Keith smirked as he watched me try to get my way with Mick, turning only momentarily to refill my cup which I had held out to him to take.

Mick swallowed. "O-okay, Lenny." Almost reluctantly, he peeled himself away from me and grabbed Keith's shirt. Keith gave me my drink and then allowed himself to be pulled out by his friend.

I decided to go into the back garden, which was where I could hear lots of talking coming from. Keith's back garden was so much nicer than my own; it was all paved, the flowerbeds were perfect, and the pergola in the middle of the garden was enormous. There were several people in there who I recognised from the covers of my LPs. Daringly, I went up there, clutching my drink, grateful that Keith had filled it twice as much as he had previously.

I went over to a familiar head of curls first. He turned to me immediately. "Hello," I said brightly, giving him a smile, "I'm Lennon."

"Brian." _Yes, I know it's Brian May_. I thought to myself.

"The guitarist, right?" Brian nodded, his curls bouncing with the movement. "I love _Queen_."

He smiled. "I'm glad."

"So how do you know Keith then?" I asked, drinking deeply from my cup.

"A longtime friend." Brian answered. He took a sip from his own drink and then said, "and you?"  
"I'm his next door neighbour." I gestured to my house. "He's just gone to look through my room for something, but I'm sure he'll be back soon."  
"Oh..." Brian looked slightly uncomfortable. He looked around the pergola and must have seen somebody because his face lit up. "Tell me," he said, turning to me, "have you ever met a Beatle?" I shook my head, trying to remain cool, calm and collected as Brian gestured for me to follow him as he approached a blonde lady and a brown-haired man. "Paul!" Brian exclaimed by way of a greeting, smiling as the great _Paul McCartney_ turned to him, Linda McCartney beside him. Brian and Paul embraced like two old friends and then Brian took a step back, "this is my friend, _Lennon_."

At the mention of my name, Paul's face saddened a little. Linda put a hand on her husband's shoulder and then smiled at me. "It's nice to meet you," she said, "I'm Linda and this is my husband, Paul." Brian slowly backed away, but I didn't care - I was talking to _the_ Paul McCartney!

I held out my hand and Paul shook it, and then Linda did. "It's nice to meet you both," I replied. "You can call me Lenny if it's... easier... for you."

Paul thanked me, sounding genuinely sincere. I opened my mouth to say something, but was cut off by the music going off. Everybody in the garden turned to see why it had gone off, and we saw Keith standing on a chair so he was above everybody else.

"Thank you all so much for coming!" He exclaimed. "Welcome to mine and Anita's beautiful new home on the Californian coast!" Everybody raised their cups and whooped in excitement and appreciation, including myself and Paul and Linda. After everybody had quietened down, Keith continued, "the only thing I ask," he paused, "is that you all sign your records by the front door before you go." He paused again, "they're for a..." he locked eyes with me, " _charitable_ cause." I blushed. "Enjoy the party!"  
Everybody applauded him and then the music came back on, Keith climbed down, and we all went back to mingling.

Almost immediately I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned and saw Keith there. I grinned. "Great party, Keith!" And I threw my arms around him.

Keith hugged me back and then kissed my cheek before he let go of me and turned to Paul and Linda. The two McCartneys were watching us with an amused smile on both of their faces. "So you've met Lenny, then?"

"Just about." Paul replied in that odd accent of his, his Liverpool upbringing coming out in it, but also his many years spent in London and Scotland evident.

"I love your dress, Lenny!" Linda gushed, staring at it.

I thanked her, "I got it from the mall just yesterday." I paused, turning to Keith momentarily in awe, "Keith paid for it, didn't you?"

He nodded. "Lennon's mother is away in Africa for a year helping sick children," he explained, "I've been tasked with looking over her every once in a while." He paused, "and I thought 'I can't leave my best girl out of a party'!"

Paul and Linda nodded in unison slowly, looking slightly confused and mildly concerned. Keith was very obviously drunk. So much for thanking me for getting him sober since earlier this morning.

I giggled and Keith asked, "another drink!?"  
I nodded. Mine was empty. He led me back into the kitchen to refill my cup.


	7. Chapter 7

It was the early hours of the morning. Keith had long since disappeared from my side, and I still had a cup of drink as I stumbled around trying to avoid falling over. I could barely recognise anybody, and it felt like I had no control over my own body. I was vaguely aware that I was slurring my words, but I was thankful for whoever it was that was sticking by my side, considerably more sober than I was, and directing me through the crowds in the back garden and over to the pergola.

The man, who had blonde curls and blue (I think?) eyes, sat me down and took the red cup from me. "Are you okay?" He asked me. I didn't reply, fearing that if I opened my mouth then I would say something stupid or embarrass myself, or even both. "Lennon?" The man put a hand on my arm. "Are you alright?"

After a few seconds of trying to string a sentence together, I turned my head slowly. "Who... who're you?"  
The man smiled. "Roger Daltrey." He replied. "You asked me to get you a drink when I was in the kitchen?" 

I vaguely remembered that, though I was sure that I wouldn't in the morning. In reply, I asked, "did you?"  
"Did I what?"

"Did you get me a drink?"

Roger laughed a little and sidled closer to me, moving his hand from my arm to around my waist and resting his hand on the skin which was revealed through the laced-up part of my dress. I moved closer to him, feeling warmth radiating from his body and suddenly becoming cold in the early morning air of California. Roger wrapped an arm tighter around me and drew his face closer to mine. Even though he was slightly blurred in my vision, he was still beautiful. I moved my lips closer to his and then they connected, and we were kissing - making out, actually. Roger was warm and his hands were all over my body and -

Somebody was yelling. I almost fell of the bench in the pergola as I saw that Keith had hold of Roger and was yelling in his face, threatening to knock his teeth down his fucking throat. "She's a baby!" Keith bellowed as the music died once again and every guest at the party turned to see what the commotion was about. I started crying and Keith shoved Roger away from him, turning around and picking me up in his arms bridal-style. He cradled me close to him as he pushed his way through the guests and into his house.

"Keith?" I asked him as I wrapped my arms around his neck and gazed into his eyes which were so focused on my own. 

"What?" He asked.

"Why did you stop him?"

We got to my own house. Keith carried me all the way to my attic (albeit very slowly), and put me on top of my bed. Keith growled, "because you're _mine_." 

And then he climbed on top of me and began to leave his marks up and down my neck, slipping his hand to my breasts and squeezing them one at a time. His actions caused me to moan out in ecstasy as Keith worked his way further down my body and eventually came to the bottom of my dress. With one hand, he reached for the end of the ribbon on one side of my dress. As he undid it, I reached up with my hands. My dress came undone and my hand rested on the bedside table. Keith began to kiss his way up my thigh and I arched my back - that such a little action could cause such a response from me was amazing -

There was a loud crash as my lamp clattered to the wooden floor.

Keith sat bolt upright and it was as if he was suddenly sober. "This has to stop." He climbed off of me and hurried out of the room, leaving me almost naked on my bed - I hadn't bothered to wear any underwear. I heard the front door of the house slam and I burst into tears, eventually falling asleep.


	8. Chapter 8

I was greeted the next morning with a thumping headache and a dry throat. I groaned and rolled over in bed, wincing as the bright light filtering through the wall-wide window hit my face. "Ugh..."

"Knock knock!" I sat bolt upright and then winced again, feeling the headache getting worse. I put a hand to my head and slowly moved my head so that I could see who was knocking on my attic door.

It was a woman - Linda, in fact. I smiled, despite the pain I was in. "Morning, Linda." I managed to say. 

"Morning, Lenny. Can I come in?" I nodded and waved her in with the hand which wasn't resting on my head. She sat on my bed beside me, holding out a glass of orange juice and two tablets. "Paul and Keith asked me to make sure you were okay... I bet you have a terrible headache."  
"Yep." I confirmed. "Gees, how much did I drink last night?"  
"Um," Linda bit her lip, "well let's just say that you were making out with Roger Daltrey before Keith brought you back here -" I didn't listen to the rest of what Linda said. All I could think about was Keith's hands on me the previous night.

"Shit."

Linda giggled, pushing the orange juice into my face. I took it, and then took the painkillers from her. "Don't worry," she said with a bright smile, "we've _all_ been there with Roger Daltrey." My eyes widened a little as I realised what she had said. Linda just giggled again.

"Did you sleep at Keith's?" I asked, deciding to change the subject.

"Actually," Linda replied as she watched me drink all of the juice, "Paul and me slept downstairs. I hope you don't mind." She paused. "Keith said he needed somebody to watch you after what went down, but he didn't feel like he could do it himself. Paul and I stopped drinking relatively early, so we were quite sober. We volunteered."

"Oh." I answered, oddly touched by Linda and Paul's thoughtfulness in staying to look after me. "You, um, could have slept in my mum's room."

In reply, Linda smiled before she said, "we didn't want to overstep any boundaries."

"You're both welcome anytime."

Linda pulled me into her arms, the now-empty glass between us. "Thank you, Lennon." She said, still holding me tightly. When she pulled away, she said, "come downstairs when you're up and dressed and I'll make breakfast for us all - Paul loves my vegetarian pancakes, and I'm sure you will, too!" With a final smile, Linda left the room.

I got up and out of bed as soon as my headache had subsided enough that I was confident I could stand without toppling over. I went into the bathroom and had a quick shower before coming back into my attic and pulling on the first thing I could find; black jeans and a white tube top. I combed through my still-wet hair before I applied some eyeliner, eyeshadow and peach lip glass lipgloss. When I was happy with how I looked, I went downstairs.

"Ooh!" Linda exclaimed as soon as I appeared in the doorway to the kitchen, "I had no idea we were dressing up today," she gestured to what she was wearing; her outfit from the previous night. "If I'd have known, I would have brought some other clothes!"  
I smiled. "You're more than welcome to borrow something of my mum's, Linda." I gestured in the direction of the stairs, "you look to be about the same size."

Linda smiled in response, "for somebody who has birthed four children, that's quite a compliment. Thank you, dear." She handed me a cup of coffee and I almost fainted as I smelt it. "It'll help with that hangover, I promise." I trusted Linda, so I slowly sipped at the hot drink. As soon as it had touched my lips and gone down my throat I felt more well rested.

"Is she awake yet then -?" Keith cut himself off when he saw me. He had strode into the house, Paul behind him, acting as if he owned the place.

"Morning." I said, swallowing the coffee and handing the cup back to Linda, who took it silently.

"I'll come back later." Keith turned to go, but Paul blocked his path.

"Stay for breakfast at least, Keith." Linda urged. "I'm making vegetarian pancakes."

Keith turned and smiled at Linda for a second, glancing at me briefly before he nodded. "Okay, but then I have to go and get Marlon from -"  
"Oh sit down!" Paul exclaimed, gesturing to the seat beside where I was now sitting. "You've both got hangovers, so get over them together!"  
"I haven't -"  
"Four pancakes coming up!" Linda exclaimed as she turned the stove on.

Keith turned to me, "did you... sleep okay?"

I didn't meet his gaze. I couldn't. Instead, I shrugged. "Not really." I hesitated. "You?"  
Keith bit his lip. "Not really." He answered.

Paul and Linda seemed to be watching and listening to everything we were saying. Linda looked at Paul and Paul looked at her, and it seemed like a silent conversation passed between them.

"We're going to eat breakfast then head back to the hotel -" 

I cut Paul off. "You're welcome to stay here." I told them. "I have the spare room anyway, and if it's going to be for the long term then it's probably nicer to not be in a hotel."  
Linda and Paul smiled. "Thank you." They chorused.

"It'll only be for a week." Linda promised.

"As long as you want." I answered, purposely ignoring Keith, who I could see out of the corner of my eye was staring at me, his mouth open.


	9. Chapter 9

"How do I look?!" Linda enthused as she stood in the doorway to the attic in a sparkly red knee length dress and red stiletto heels. I turned my attention away from my laptop and took a second to take her in.

"Beautiful!" I exclaimed, putting the laptop down and standing up. I walked over to her, took her hands, and then led her over to the settee in the middle of the room. "Where's Paul taking you again?"  
Linda grinned. "Just out for dinner -"  
"Very fancy for dinner, Linda." I teased.

"Well," she blushed, "I think we might also be going out to dance a little." I clapped my hands in excitement for my friend. I had known Paul and Linda for just about four days now, and I had spent every second of the last three days with them. I loved them both so much - I felt closer to them than I did with Keith, even... but it didn't help that I had hardly seen him in the last three days. He had only stopped by to bring my (now signed) records back, and also the purse which I had had at the party - and therefore my phone, which had been inside of it.

"Oooh!" I teased, tickling her sides. Linda giggled and gently batted me away.

"Are you sure you don't want to come?" She asked after a few seconds.

"And ruin your big date?" I asked enthusiastically, "of course not!" 

"Will you be alright here by yourself for the night?"  
"Linda," I said in a kind tone, "you forget that my mum has just decided to up and leave me here for a year - you're not even supposed to _be_ here. Keith's supposed to be looking in on me - if my mum thinks I can cope for three hundred and sixty five days - give or take - then you should think the same." I paused. "Yes," I said, "I'll be fine for a few hours -"  
"We might get a hotel tonight..." she blushed, trailing off at the end of her sentence.

I giggled, tickling her sides once more. She batted me away again, and then giggled like a schoolgirl when she realised that she had a wonderful night with Paul ahead of her.

* * * * *

Paul and Linda had been gone less than twenty minutes before there was a knock at the door. I took my time walking downstairs, sucking on a lollipop that I had found in one of my coats. When I opened the door, my mouth fell open and my lolly fell to the floor. _Drats. I wanted that_.

"Anita," I said brightly, "what can I do for you?" I hated this woman because she was with Keith and I wasn't, and because she was a drug addict with a son - she didn't deserve a baby. She couldn't look after him. Oh, and she was horrible/rude to me on a regular basis.

"I need you to watch Marlon for me tonight."  
"Uh..." Well I hadn't been expecting that.

"I'm going out with the girls," she explained. "Keith's home, but I don't trust him."  
"And you trust me?" I asked, unable to stop myself.

"Not really," she sighed, "but I know that you wouldn't leave a baby crying... unlike _he_ would."

I gritted my teeth, hating it when she slagged him off like that. I thought about what she had said.

" _Please_?" Anita pressed, obviously trying to be as polite and nice to me as possible so I would do as she asked. "I'll pay you."

 _Well you don't need to pay me_ , I thought, _I'm getting time alone with your husband_.

I smiled. "No need." I paused. "Keith said he'd watch me while my mum was away, so I suppose it's okay to swap roles for a bit, right?" Anita grinned.

"Great."  
"Let me just run upstairs and get changed. I'll be over in about fifteen minutes?" Anita nodded. Without another word, she turned and walked back over to her own house.

I picked up the lolly from the floor, shut the front door and then raced upstairs, throwing the lollipop into the bin in the attic. I grabbed my phone and texted Linda;

_going over to Keith and Anita's to babysit,_

_don't worry about hotel ;)_

Fifteen minutes later, I knocked on Keith and Anita's door. She opened it and waved me inside, then quickly moving her hand to her ear to put an earring in. I walked into the living room and she into the kitchen. Keith was sitting on the settee watching Formula One racing, and Marlon was sitting in his lap, the both of them completely in a trance because of the television.

"Hey..." I said, feeling slightly awkward as I noticed that Keith was shirtless.

Keith hadn't noticed I was standing behind the settee. He jumped, and poor Marlon squealed in surprise.

Keith turned and saw me and then blushed. "Keith!" Anita snapped, coming into the room behind me, "put some fucking clothes on!" Keith nodded and picked Marlon up from his lap, placing him on the sofa. Keith hurried into the other room and Anita grabbed my arm, sharply twisting me round to face her. "Don't try _anything_ with my husband - ya got it?" Slightly shaken, I nodded. She smiled. "Good... now, Marlon is absolutely ready to go to bed. Don't feed him again, and don't give him anything else to drink unless you want to be taking him to and from the toilet all night." I nodded. "Bye."

And she walked out of the door, not even bothering to say goodbye to her son, or even to Keith. _What an odd woman_ , I thought as I went to sit on the settee beside the little boy. He looked at me strangely as I sat down. In reply, I smiled. "My name's -"

"Lenny." Marlon interrupted. He gave me a wide smile. "You're the pretty girl who lives next door?" 

"Well I wouldn't say I'm pretty -"  
"Daddy talks about you a lot to mummy. She doesn't like it."  
I blushed. "Okay, Marlon." Marlon and me looked up in surprise to see Keith standing in the doorway. He had his hands on his waist. "Time for bed, I think."

"Not tired -!"  
"Now." Obediently, Marlon got up and hurried upstairs. As soon as we heard Marlon's bedroom door close, Keith turned to me. "I think we need to talk."


	10. Chapter 10

I nodded, "let me go and make sure that Marlon's alright -"  
"He's fine." Keith answered. "He puts himself to bed every single night. I don't know why Anita even asked you to come over - I'm more than capable of -"

"She said she didn't trust you to look after him." I answered.

Keith gritted his teeth together before he gestured to the sofa. "Take a seat." I didn't dare refuse him. I sat. He sat beside me, quite close.

"So," I said after a minute or so that we sat in silence for, "are you going to talk, or -?"

He pressed his lips eagerly against my own, unable to resist any longer. He truly couldn't help himself but to take what was his. He was selfish, but judging by how I moaned into his mouth and wrapped my arms over his shoulders, urgently pulling him closer and kissing him deeper, I was unable to resist as well.

Keith's hand squeezed gently around my throat, his fingers digging into the side of my neck feeling my heart rate increase under his touch. His free hand ran along my side, playfully lingering over my hips and dipping down across my lower back as he cupped my ass and squeezed urgently, a low growl vibrating in his chest as I pushed myself into his grip.

His tongue ran across my lips and I moaned with delight allowing him access to explore. Warm and sweet, but powerful and irresistible. If lust had a taste, this would be it. His tongue eagerly explored my mouth, wanting to know every inch of me, desperation taking control of his actions. my fingers dug into his shoulders and my knees began to weaken, he could tell by the way I was grinding herself against his hand that there was an overwhelming need that was beginning to take over between my legs.

Keith pulled away from the kiss breathing heavily, and raising his eyebrow with amusement at my wanton expression. Keith squeezed his hand on myass again, pulling my waist towards him and pressing me earnestly against his length, savouring the pressure. My breathing was heavy and my tongue ran across my lips, eyeing his bulge that was now directly in front of my face.

"Good girl. Look at you, you're not hiding anything, are you?" Keith watched with an amused grin as I began to slowly grind myself on the couch, lewd moans of pleasure escaping my throat as I waited patiently for Keith to give me the next set of instructions.

"Look at me, Lenny. Look into my eyes and don't look away, do you understand?"

"Yes, Mr Richards."

He hummed deeply, my dark gaze meeting his through my lashes. Iwas leaning forward and unable to stop rocking my hips against the cushion of the couch – I had been just as eager and impatient as he was to get to the point of this conversation.

"That's a good girl..." he spoke softly as he began unbuttoning his shirt with practiced ease. He shrugged it off of his shoulders and let it drop to the floor before moving towards his jeans. His fingers worked quickly unbuttoning and unzipping, tucking them between the fabric and pulling his trousers and briefs down in one swift motion letting them fall to the floor. His cock immediately began to swell, finally free from the restriction of the tight fabric that was holding him back.

The scent of his lust came over me and my eyes closed for only a moment as it consumed me, I bit down onto my lip eagerly before quickly looking back up at him, not wanting to disobey him.

His smile widened into a grin as he watched me swallow with anticipation. Desperate to look down but not breaking eye contact just as he had instructed. This was hard for me. To be sitting in front of him, inches away from his cock but not allowed to look.

Oh, how he savoured my expression in that moment.

"Mmm, very good Lenny. Keep looking at me...I want to watch you squirm for me..." Keith muttered, drifting his hand towards his cock and groaning with pleasure at his touch, wrapping his hand around his throbbing length he began to pump himself slowly, just inches away from me as I looked up at him desperately from the settee.

"Please..." my chest began to rise and fall with an uneven pace, I was barely able to contain myself, my hands shifted towards my wetness between my legs before Keith snapped,

"Don't touch. Just look. I want you all to myself...you're not allowed to do anything until I say you can."

"Please, I need - " I straightened my back, pushing out my breasts and grinding more urgently on the cushion of the couch under me.

"You will do as you're told." Keith growled, the pace of his hand gradually quickening at my writhing form in front of him.

"Yes, sir..." I whispered. I was so desperate and wanting. He was savouring every second of this – arousal causing me to shift and moan uncontrollably on the settee, my eyes never leaving his for a second, though he could tell I was desperately fighting with myself and unsure of what would happen if I disobeyed him, but not wanting to risk it. At least not this time around.

"Much better..." Keith's hand worked across his cock, jacking himself off just inches away from my face, his presence looming over me illuminated by the fading light of day from the window behind him.

"Please..." I begged, unable to contain it anymore, I swallowed eagerly licking my lips, "I need you... I want to taste you...please..."

Keith exhaled through his nose as he considered my offer, my eyes absolutely begging for him. He smiled down warmly at me, his gaze filled with mischief.

"Take off your shirt. Don't look away." He continued to work his hand eagerly across his length as I nodded and began to lift up the hem of my shirt over my body exposing my skin to the air of the room. Keith dropped his gaze and began looking over my form. Small goosebumps began to trail across my stomach and back as I lifted my shirt over my head and quickly tossed it aside, working my hands behind my back and undoing my bra in one practiced motion. My nipples were already pink and hard, begging for his attention just as much as the rest of me.

Keith met my gaze once more and hummed with approval. His free hand brushing my hair away from my face and tucking it behind my ear, tangling his fingers into my hair behind my head.

"Look at what you do to me..." Keith growled, nodding his head and finally allowing me to look down at his twitching cock still pumping in front of me. His thick shaft twitching in his hand, the tip of his cock red and swollen, weeping with pre cum and desperate for my attention. my eyes widened and a moan escaped my lips at the sight of him before me.

"See how hard I am for you? I want you to take care of me, Lenny. Now get to work."

Keith let go of himself and quickly pulled my head towards his cock, forcing himself into my mouth. I opened eagerly for him, my tongue immediately lapping up his pre cum and moaning at his taste. My hands desperately grabbing onto his side and digging my fingers into him, working my mouth along his shaft, straining to open wide enough for his generous size.

"Mmmm, good girl..." Keith began to rock his hips inside of me, feeling my gagging around him at his insistence to push deeper than I was prepared for. He wasn't particularly in the mood to take his time with allowing me to adjust – my warm mouth was much too intoxicating, and the way I obeyed him without hesitation was far too tempting to take advantage of. I moaned in protest at his urgency – the vibrations from my mouth a welcome sensation around his cock and Keith growled deeply, his hands tightening around my hair as he bobbed my head along his shaft with a faster pace.

"Ahh, that's it. You're taking my cock so well, Lenny. I've waited so long to feel your mouth around me...don't you dare stop." Keith began muttering under his breath, looking down at me with a dark gaze as he face-fucked me into submission.

My eyes were beginning to water and my fingers pressed into his sides harder, the wet sounds of my gagging on his cock filled the room and Keith moaned deeply at how my tongue still ran along the underside of his cock with precision and my moans became a blend of panic and lust. He smiled down at me as he watched my legs pressed together and my hips writhe, my own pleasure building in my core alongside his own.

Keith pulled my mouth off of his cock with a slick pop – a string of drool hung between them as I gasped for air, looking up at him with tears in my eyes, desperate for more.

"You look even more beautiful like this..." Keith let go of my hair and wiped a tear away as it began rolling down my cheek, "Your face flushed, drool hanging off of your lips, your eyes begging for more, eyeliner running..."

"Please, Mr Richards..." my chest was rising and falling, still trying to catch my breath.

"Please what, Lenny?" I pulled him towards me with a desperate tug, urging him to join me on the settee. I swallowed nervously,

"Please...I need..."

"Use your words." Keith was enjoying this. My head was swarming with lust, overwhelmed with the position I found myself in. Begging for his cock only a few days after we had first met, and then kissed. Keith grinned down at me mischievously, savouring the power that he held so easily over him.

"I need you to fuck me, please. I need your cock inside of me -- please, Mr Richards." I gasped, suppressing a moan as I rolled my hips, my building pleasure becoming too much to handle.

Keith's tummy bounced slightly as he chuckled to himself, dropping his hand down to my neck, grazing my skin gently with his fingers.

"Well, since you've asked so politely, who am I to say no to that face?" Keith's hand tightened around my throat, a chill running down his spine at the way I pressed myself against him, leaning into his hand.

"But this is no place for me, I'm afraid. I'm too big for this tiny little settee. Get up and walk to the bed. When you get there, bend over and wait for me." I gasped as Keith urged me to stand up by my throat and quickly obliged. I found my balance on my uneven legs and looked up at him with dark eyes, Keith's smile widened, unable to resist pressing his lips against mine urgently before letting me go to walk towards the stairs and then his bed.

I made my way over quickly, and bent forward as instructed, my chest pressed against the luxurious sheets and my ass pushed out towards him swaying eagerly. My panties were still on, but Keith still admired the view as he walked up behind me.

"Mmm you're doing well, darling. So eager." Keith traced his hand along my back, dipping into the contours of my soft skin and working his way down towards my waistband, tugging against it firmly. Keith bent over my and pressed himself against my ass, breathing hotly into my ear, "You want my cock inside you, is that it?"

I moaned at the pressure of him against my ass, frustration that I was still clothed down _there_ seeping into my tone. "Yes sir, please...I want you..."

"Ah, you want. That's what I like to hear, Lenny. Lucky for you, I want you, too..." Keith harshly tugged at my bottoms and pulled them down over my ass with urgency. His large hand grabbed a firm hold of my ass and squeezed, feeling my smooth skin under his touch and digging his fingers into my skin. "...and I always get what I want." He growled into my ear. "Spread your legs."

I quickly obliged and inhaled sharply at his touch, Keith began to run his fingers up against my slick entrance, humming to himself pleased with how wet I was for him. This wouldn't take long. He pushed two fingers into me without warning, leaning heavily against me as he pushed me into the bed, feeling me arch underneath him as I began moaning loudly into the sheets beneath me.

"Ahh, you're so fucking wet for me, Lenny. You're so eager for me..." he began thrusting his fingers inside of me, rocking his hips and pressing his length up against my ass with the same pace, teasing my and pushing my closer to the edge.

"You don't even need to be prepared for my cock like this, but I just couldn't help myself..." Keith curled his fingers inside of my just so, hitting my g-spot with practiced precision.

"FUCK, I'M –" I pushed my hips against his hand with every thrust, forcing his fingers deeper into my core, clenching down on him desperately, so close to my release. "Please, please, please" I began to beg desperately into the sheets, drool running down from my mouth with pleasure.

"Ah, I didn't say you could come, now did I?" Keith removed his fingers from me and admired for a moment how my slick juices made them glisten.

"Mmmph – no, sir," I moaned, the sudden emptiness in my core making me all the more desperate, still pushing my ass against Keith's length.

"Mmm that's what I thought. Lucky for you...I'm rather impatient tonight. Remind me, Lenny...tell me just how much you want me to fuck you." He whispered darkly into my ear, bearing his weight down onto me.

"I want you...I want you so badly, please, Mr Richards. Fill me with your cock, I need you –" I responded breathlessly.

"Good girl." Keith shoved his slick fingers into my mouth, forcing me to taste myself on his hand as he thrust his cock inside of me without warning. My cunt immediately clenched down around his length, the sudden sensation of being filled overwhelming me. My legs buckled and I screamed out in pain and pleasure at his girth that was now filling me completely.

"Ahh, you're so fucking tight – nmph" Keith rocked his hips back and pushed forward again, pushing himself deeper inside of me. I was throbbing around him, trying desperately to adjust, but he decided at that moment he couldn't wait. My body was tense underneath him, my legs almost giving out as Keith began to take me from behind - hard.

I moaned around his fingers, my tongue swirling over them trying my best to focus on the taste and sensation as I rapidly tried to adjust to his thick cock pounding into me. Tears began to stream down my face at the realization of where I was and who I was with, taking me bent over on the bed - that he shared with Anita - from behind, one hand with his fingers shoved into my mouth, and the other hand gripping tightly onto my hip, slamming me against his cock again and again as he fucked me for his own pleasure.

Using me.

My eyes rolled back and I let out a moan of pure ecstasy –

"Mmm, there it is...you're all mine, darling...mine to use as I please." Keith growled into my ear, his breath uneven, grunting with every thrust as he spoke. "You're such a good girl, letting me fuck you like this. Letting me use you for my own pleasure...you're such a good little fuckwhore..." Keith began muttering under his breath as he felt his cock begin to swell inside of me, growing harder as he felt his release begin to build in his core.

I was almost completely incoherent at this point, overwhelmed with pleasure and nearing my climax – my cunt tightened eagerly around him as I felt him harden inside of me, his pace beginning to become erratic. The slick sounds of his cock pounding into my over and over again filled the room, my grunts and moans becoming increasingly more desperate as my orgasm neared its peak.

"I'm going to cum, Lenny. I'm going to cum right up inside your cunt –" Keith's breath hitched in his throat as he felt his balls tense, his mass of hair falling heavily over his face,

"Come for me. Let go –"

"Keith – aah -"

With desperate thrusts he felt me clamp down around his cock as my orgasm came hard over me – my body tensed underneath him, my hands digging into the sheets as I screamed with pleasure around his hand.

Keith's cock throbbed as his own release came hard and fast, my cunt milking his cock as his seed came out in thick ropes coating me and filling me completely. He pumped himself into me, not letting a single drop go to waste, but I soon began to overflow with his lust as it began dripping down my thighs.

"Ahh fuck, Lenny – such a good girl..." He removed his fingers from my mouth, lifting himself off of me and slowly pulling out with ease. I was completely filled, and the sight of his seed overflowing from me was one that Keith took a moment to admire, tilting his head slightly and smiling to himself, proud of his work.

"Mmph, Keith..." I moaned, my legs beginning to buckle underneath me before Keith's hands grabbed hold of me and hoisted me up onto the bed. 

I collapsed against the sheets, still dripping. Keith couldn't help but smirk at the sight of me.

"I love seeing you like this." He said simply, laying down beside me. As he wrapped his arms around me and I began to drift off, Keith said, "you're _mine_ , little girl. _All fucking mine_."

I hummed in agreement. I was, and always would be, Keith Richards' girl.


	11. Chapter 11

It was truly wonderful to wake up in the arms of a lover. Keith was holding me tightly and placing kisses on the back of my neck. I moaned a little as I felt his soft skin against my own, though there was definitely stubble there. He needed a shave, but I loved the feeling of the bristles against my skin. I could only imagine how they would feel against my -

"Good morning," he smirked against me, snapping me out of my dizzying daydream.

I breathed out contently. "Good morning, Mr Richards."

He reached round my body and squeezed at one of my breasts. I let out a louder moan this time and then turned over in bed, nuzzling my face into his chest. I moved a hand up to Keith's chest and gently played with his nipples. Keith chuckled and buried his face in my hair. "I could certainly get used to waking up to you, Lenny Moskovitz."  
"Hmm," I agreed, "likewise." We laid in each other's arms for a few minutes before my phone started buzzing. It was on the floor amongst the clothes which I had been wearing the previous night. I apologised to Keith but said that I hate to take it because it might be my mum, and then I got out of the bed and frantically threw the items of clothing aside, mine and his, looking to find the phone before the ringer ended.

And I did - just in time. "It's Linda." I said quickly to Keith, who was watching my bare body on the floor. I answered it, "hey, Linda -"  
"What did Keith do?" She asked frantically, not bothering to greet me. I figured that she had somehow found out about what Keith and I had done the night before. I blushed.

However, I tried to play it off as cool. "Um... what do you mean?"

"Well," Linda answered, sounding like she was trying to put what she was saying in a delicate manner, "his car's been keyed, his tires have been knifed and his front windscreen has had a brick put through it."

My eyes widened and I turned to Keith. He mouthed, _what is it?_ to me.

I turned to him. "Your car..." 

Keith jumped out of bed and hurried to the window, wrenching the curtains open and gasping in horror when he saw the state of his car, parked on the drive in front of the garage.

"My car!" He exclaimed, putting his hands on his head in disbelief. "What the fuck -"  
"Thanks, Lin." I said, realising that Keith was going to need to be calmed down. "I'll be back over in a bit - just going to get Marlon up and see when Anita's coming home." I hung up on Linda and then turned to Keith, who was still standing at the window and staring at his car like it was the worst thing in the world to have ever happened to him. "Keith," I said as I found his boxers from the previous evening, "you need to put some clothes on, you're standing right in front of the window." I held the underpants out to him. He took them and pulled them on, still not taking his eyes off of the car.

"You should, too." He said. "Anita could be back -" he cut himself off. 

"What?" I asked, shaking his shoulder. "What!?"

Keith left the window - and his precious car - and went over to the wardrobe which lined the length of one entire wall. He pulled the doors open. It was completely empty, full of only empty hangers. Keith swore, "shit!" and then he left the room. I could hear him across the landing in Marlon's room, calling out his son's name. "Marlon! Marl?!"  
I took my time putting my clothes back on. I figured that he needed some time to figure this out before I got involved. I could then hear him running down the stairs and throughout the house downstairs calling Marlon's name. I heard no answer. When I was dressed, I went over to the mirror and pulled my fingers through my hair. I looked a mess, but there was little that I could do about it at such a time.

I went downstairs. Keith was sitting on the settee with his head in his hands and his phone on the coffee table. "K-Keith...?" I asked quietly, putting a hand on his shoulder hesitatingly.

"That was Anita." He said quietly, sounding like he was on a desert island and hadn't had any water in days.  
"Oh..." I bit my lip, "what did she say...?"

"She said that she saw us." Keith turned towards me bitterly. "She saw _us_ in bed... fucking naked!"  
"Oh..." What else could I say to that? I blushed despite the fact that I was now talking to the man who had taken my virginity,

"She said that she's taken Marlon, and isn't coming back."

And then he broke into a fit of tears. It was heartbreaking. I had never seen a fully grown man cry before... it was awful.

"Keith, I'm so sorry, I -"  
"No!" He yelled, whirling on me suddenly. His raised tone and obvious anger made me jump back, immediately retracting my hand from his shoulder. "You don't understand, Lennon! She's a drug addict!" Keith growled. "She won't look after him! He's _four_! He needs me or he'll get hurt!" Keith ran back upstairs.

I was determined not to leave him alone, however. I knew from experience with my mum that people would do stupid things when they were left alone and were in a dark place.

"K-Keith...?" I asked quietly, slowly making my way up the stairs.

"Fuck off!" He yelled back in reply. I went to go further up the stairs, but then I heard his bedroom door open. I could see him standing by the banister. I slowly continued to make my way up the stairs. "What did I just say!?"  
And then he picked something up and _threw_ it at me. It hit me hard on the head. I turned and ran down the stairs and out of the house. _Fuck Keith Richards_ , I thought. Nobody was silent to me.


	12. Chapter 12

By the time I had reached my front door, I had calmed myself down considerably. I banged on the door, begging that it was Linda who opened it and not Paul. I needed somebody to cry on right now, and I doubted that Paul would hold me and tell me that I was in the right - guys didn't do that. Girls did... girls did that unconditionally.

My prayers were answered when I looked into the smiling face of lovely Linda. "Marlon alright?" She asked cheerfully. "And Keith's car?" She teased.

I shook my head, biting my lip. I then fell into her arms. Linda consoled me, patting my back as she held me tightly and helped me into the house, kicking the front door closed behind us.

"I have to tell you _everything_ , Linda!" I sobbed as she sat me down on the sofa and pulled me to her chest, trying her best to comfort me. Paul came in from the kitchen with a mug of tea in one hand and a biscuit in the other. When he saw the scene in front of him, he looked extremely confused.

"Two teas, please, Paul love." Linda said softly to her husband. Paul nodded, looking quite thankful to have been given a task that didn't include consoling a crying teenager. He hurried out of the room. "Now," Linda said in an even softer tone as she looked into my eyes, "what happened? What did Keith do?" And there was that question again, except this time, I was going to tell her the truth.

I hiccuped a few times before I started my sentence, "we... we... me and Keith have been..."

I couldn't even get my words out. Linda patted my back a little more before she said, "we know about you and Keith."

"W-what...? How?" I had thought that Keith and me were being so careful about hiding it.

"Well," she replied in a motherly, understanding tone. I felt like crying even more - if my mother was here then none of this would be happening. "Paul and I aren't stupid, Lenny. We saw you two at the party, and then when Keith _punched_ Roger Daltrey because he was kissing you... and then you and Keith were just so awkward after the party - we assumed that something must have happened."  
"We just kissed." I said, taking a deep breath, finding it easier to provide her with the details rather than starting the series of events. "It was going to further but then I think the lamp fell off of my sideboard and he left."  
Linda clutched me closer to her. I vaguely wondered where Paul was - I needed my cup of tea. 

"But it's gone further now...?" The way that she said it implied that she already knew the answer.

I nodded, looking down at the floor in shame. "And Anita found us, but we only knew about that this morning. She took Marlon and fucked Keith's car."  
Linda sighed. "Oh dear..."  
"Keith says that she's a drug addict and won't look after Marlon." I added.

Linda nodded. "She's certainly not the best mother I've ever seen."

"Keith's on his way over!" Paul exclaimed from the kitchen. I realised that he must have been watching Keith's house from the window in the kitchen which looked directly into Keith's front garden.

I looked at Linda. "If you don't want to get the door, then you don't have to." Linda told me. "In fact, we don't even have to let him -" The doorbell was ringing. Linda looked at me, asking me silently what I wanted to do.

"Let him in." I told her quietly. She nodded, patted my knee twice to comfort me, and then went to go and get the door.

"Where is she?!" I heard Keith ask immediately.

"You shouldn't talk to me like that -"

"Shut up, Linda!" Keith hissed as he presumably pushed past her and then came into the living room. I was watching from the settee, feeling my heartbeat increase as he strode in, his eyes scanning the room for me. When he saw me, he hurried over and sat close beside me, taking my hand between both of his. "I'm sorry." He said.

Linda came into the room. We locked gazes, and I silently told her that I was okay for the moment but to stay close. She nodded and sat down on the settee opposite me and Keith.

"You threw -"  
"It was only one of Marlon's -"  
"I don't _care_ what it was!" I yelled, standing up and wrenching my hand from his. "You _threw_ something at me!"

"Lenny, I -"

"Don't _Lenny_ me!" I continued to yell, causing Linda to watch me, making sure at all times that I was okay. "And you blame _me_ for Anita -"

"You were the girl I was in bed with!" Keith yelled back, standing up so now he was almost a whole head taller than me.

"You're the one who fucking fucked me!" I screamed back. "I'm _underage_ , Keith! You should have been able to control yourself -!"  
"Well you weren't saying no!" Keith bit back. Paul came hurrying into the room, no mugs of tea in either hand, looking straight at his wife. She shrugged and then patted the seat beside her. He sat down and Linda laced her hand with his. "It was as if you fucking wanted it -"  
"I _did_!" I bellowed back. "But I didn't want to be the reason your relationship ended -"  
"And yet here we are, while my baby and nut job ex girlfriend hightail it out of here on a Boeing fucking 747!" He took a second to breathe and then continued to rant, "for fuck's sake, Lennon, it's almost like I've given _everything_ up for you!"  
"Is that what this is then?!" I asked in disbelief, still so angry at him. I crossed my arms against my chest. "You giving everything up for me!?"

"Lenny," Keith said in a desperate tone, "I have fucking _feelings_ for you, and they're not going away! It was never supposed to go this far! You were just supposed to be a silly crush that I soon got over then told my grandchildren about -"  
Paul scoffed. Linda, Keith and I all turned to him. He was silent. "You know what?" Keith said. The three of us; Linda, Paul and I, all waited in silence for him to finish his sentence, "I've had enough of this - I'm not blaming _you_ for Anita leaving - in fact, I should be thanking you! But I have to get Marlon back... so until he's back in my arms, I don't want to see you or talk to you or even -" Linda stood up, removing her hand from Paul's.

"Get out." Linda said.

She surprised us all. Keith and I turned to her. "Excuse me?" Keith asked in a sarcastic tone of voice.

"Exactly." Linda answered, still speaking in a calm tone of voice. "Get out of this house now, Keith Richards, or I swear to God I will have you investigated for that party with Marianne and Mick." She paused, a knowing smirk on her face, "you remember the one with the mars bar... _right_?"  
Keith audibly swallowed. He nodded at Linda but then turned to me slowly. "When Marlon is home, I want to talk to you, Lenny -"  
"Now!" Linda yelled, causing Keith to jump. Keith went to leave, but then stopped. He turned back to me, and pressed a harsh kiss to my lips. I gasped into it and then he pushed his tongue into my mouth.

And then he was being pulled from me. Paul had him by the collar and was pulling him towards the front door.

"Fuck off!" Paul spat as he chucked Keith over the threshold and slammed the door closed.

Linda immediately enveloped me in her arms once again, where I began to sob.


	13. Chapter 13

I pretended to ignore Paul and Linda as they chatted about me. I pretended to be concentrating on the television. I pretended like I wasn't heartbroken. I pretended that I wasn't still crying.

Paul and Linda had stayed longer than they had originally intended in order to look after and care for me. I was so grateful to them, but I knew that they were eager to get back to London.

"It's been _eight_ days, Linda." Paul pointed out. "And no word from him!"  
"I know!" She hissed back, trying to keep her voice down. "I don't want to just leave her -"  
"But the children -"

"Can stay with Mike for a few more days." Linda said. "Lenny needs us right now!"  
"But so do Mary, Stella and James!" He paused, "and Heather's at art college and would _probably_ like to see us as well!"  
"Paul!" Linda hissed again. "I am _not_ leaving this poor girl in America by herself! And especially not when, other than us, she hasn't spoken to a soul since Keith fucking -"

"I know." Paul sighed. "I know, Lin." He paused. "I just really want to see the kids -"  
"And so do I." Linda agreed. "But right now, I have to think about Lenny, as well. She thinks that she's all grown up - teenagers do - remember Heather at her age?" I figured that Paul was nodding. Linda continued to talk. "The only thing that I want is for Lenny to be okay. Whether that is with Keith or not."

"Well..." he bit his lip, "why don't we ask Lenny to come home _with_ us?"

"Because I don't think -"  
But Paul was ahead of her. "Lenny!" He called. I turned, pretending that I hadn't been hanging onto their every word. "Oh, come on, luv," he said when he saw my face, "try to stop crying. It's been over a week now -"

"Paul!" Linda hissed, gently slapping at her husband's ribs, "you don't just tell a girl to _stop crying_!" Paul didn't answer. Linda came over to the settee and sat down beside me, pulling me into her arms again. She had done this so often in the last eight days that it felt like Linda was a mother to me now - though I definitely considered her more like a friend. "Now, Paul and I have had a wonderful idea!" I waited for her to continue, "you should come back to London with us!"  
Paul nodded in agreement, sitting on the other side of me.

"And you can meet our brood." Paul teased, poking my thigh with his finger. I giggled and gently slapped him away.

"I really don't want to leave you here by yourself, dear," Linda continued, ignoring her husband's silliness, "I'd only worry about you and miss you."  
"But we really can't stay any longer, luv." Paul said.

"We really quite miss our children." Linda agreed.

"Please come home with us." I looked at Paul. He offered me a kind, encouraging smile.

I sniffled and Linda reached up with her thumb, wiping away more of my tears. I loved Linda - and Paul. They had done more for me in the past few days than my own mother had done for me in years.

"Please?" Linda asked quietly in a pleading tone. I bit my lip, taking only a second to think about my answer before I nodded. Linda grinned and squealed in delight, hugging me more tightly.

"I'll get onto the airline right away!" And he stood up to go and use the phone.

I waited until Paul was gone. "Will your children meet us at the airport?"  
She shook her head. "We'll have to ask their uncle, Paul's brother, Mike, to bring them down for us. They've been staying with him and his family in Liverpool."

"Do you and Paul never go to Liverpool?"  
Linda smiled. "We went to drop them off - but it's a long way, and I don't think now is the right time for a Beatles pilgrimage."

I giggled. "How did you know that's what I wanted to do?"  
"Because I know you, Lennon," she smiled. "I can't wait for you to meet Mary, Stella and James!"  
"Don't you have another daughter?" I asked in a puzzled tone of voice.

"Heather." Linda answered. "She's my eldest - but she's away at art college right now. She won't be home until Christmas." She paused. "She's twenty-one. Mary is fourteen. Stella is twelve, and our little James is seven."

I smiled. "I can't wait to meet them." I told her honestly. "It's been ages since I was around kids -"  
"Marlon?" Linda asked gently, as she raised an eyebrow.

I bit my lip and Linda wiped away another one of my tears. "I didn't get to know him properly."

Paul came back into the room. "Flight's in four hours." He smiled at me, "go and pack, Lenny - London awaits!"  
Linda gave me an encouraging nod before she took her arms away from me. "If you need some help then give me a call." I nodded, thanking her and Paul before I hurried up the stairs.

An hour later and I was packed and ready to go. Paul carried my suitcase down from the attic and I checked the house, making sure that every window had been locked. I had decided to bring my records, and Paul promised that as soon as we got to London, he would buy me one for the room which I could have in their house. I was actually quite excited to be going to London - I had never been there before, but I had always wanted to go and live there after school was finished. Maybe now I would get my wish. Linda put her arm around my shoulders as she led me out of the house. 

Keith, to my surprise, was sitting on his front doorstep smoking a cigarette. He took the stick from his mouth and called out to us, "where are you going?!"  
I turned to answer, but Linda stopped me. Paul opened the taxi door for me and Linda told me to get in whilst _she_ went to speak to Keith. I did as I was told, knowing that me talking with Keith would only end in misery and pain for myself. Paul got into the car beside me, promising to move to the other side of the taxi when Linda returned.

Linda strode towards Keith Richards, a determined look on her face. "Where are you taking her?" Keith asked as soon as she reached him, taking another step from his cigarette and looking over Linda's shoulder to see if he could see into the taxi which idling at the side of the road.

"Away from you."  
"Come on, Lin." Keith pressed. "Back to London?" 

"Away from you." Linda repeated, a resolute look on her face as she crossed her arms against her chest and glared at the Rolling Stone in front of her.

"She's almost an adult - why not just leave her here?" He gestured to the house beside his own.

"Because Lennon needs to be away from you." 

"But -"

"There are no buts here, Keith." She sighed. "You've ruined her - she's spent the last week and a bit _crying_."

Keith looked down at the pavement in shame. "I didn't mean to hurt her -"  
"And yet, here we are." Linda paused. "Any luck with finding Marlon and Anita?"  
"Marlon is being taken by social services this evening." Keith answered. "He will be brought back here as soon as that is over."  
"Well congratulations," Linda spat, "you got everything that you ever wanted, then."

"Not everything." He sighed. 

"And what could you possibly mean by that?" She knew, of course. It was obvious - but she wanted to hear him say it. 

"I want Lennon." He said quietly, sounding thoroughly miserable. "I want her here with me - I want her as a mum for Marlon, a wife for me, and a mother for _our_ children." Keith paused. "Linda, I _love_ Lennon."

"She thinks that you hate her." Linda snapped. "That you resent her - that you think that she is the reason Anita took Marlon and left -"  
"But I don't!" Keith insisted, trying to get past Linda and come over to the car, "if only I could tell her -"  
"I think it's best, Keith," Linda said, "if you leave Lennon to decide what's best for herself. She isn't stupid. She'll work it out. If you're right for her, then..." she sighed, "Paul and I don't want to get in the way of you two - we want only what is best for Lennon. And right now, she needs away from here. Away from California, and away from _you_." Keith looked like he was about to cry. Linda continued, "so try us in about a month. Book a flight and come to the door. Then we'll see how Lennon feels." Keith sighed. He knew, deep down, that Linda McCartney was right. "I'll see you." And Linda turned and walked away. 


	14. Chapter 14

We boarded the flight, sitting in the first class part of the plane. It surprised me that Linda and Paul flew on commercial airlines. I had assumed that they would fly on a private jet or something. I didn't want to be too clingy to them, so I offered to sit in the aisle seat as opposed to the window one. Also, Paul had paid for my ticket, so I didn't want to take liberties.

However, Linda insisted that I sit by the window. I didn't put up much of an argument. It was no sooner than we had sat down and the plane had taken off than a stewardess came over to us. "Excuse me," she said in an odd accent, "is one of you Ms Moskovitz?"

"That's me." I said slowly, looking confused. I sat up straighter in my chair. "Is there a problem?"

The hostess looked at Paul and Linda and then leaned a little more into our seat section, "would you mind accompanying me to the back of the plane, ma'am? I have some... distressing news."  
I turned to Linda, a worried expression on my face. Her face echoed something similar. "Lin?" I asked, "would you come with me?" She nodded.

"Of course." She got out first and then I followed her. The stewardess led us to the tail of the plane and closed the curtain between us and the first class passengers.

"I'm afraid, Ms Moskovitz," she hesitated.

"Yes?" Linda pressed.

The stewardess dug round in the pockets of her outfit and produced a square piece of paper - a telegram. She held it out to Linda. Linda took it. "Please excuse me." The stewardess disappeared. Linda scanned through the piece of paper and her face fell.

"Lin?" I asked her, clutching at her arm, "what is it? What's wrong?"

Linda took a deep breath and then turned to me. "Lenny..." she took another deep breath, "it's your mother." I felt as if all of the air had been sucked from my body. I fell to my knees and burst into tears - as if I didn't have enough to deal with at the moment. Linda knelt down beside me and pulled me into her arms. I felt comfortable and safe there - it was so familiar.

"W-what h-happened?" I sobbed.

Linda sighed. "She went into a mine to... to help an injured person..."

"Oh my God..." I wheezed as I realised that I couldn't cry anymore. I felt as though I had cried all of my tears out over Keith - I felt terrible. I wanted to cry for my mother, but I was physically unable.

"The mine... it collapsed on her."

"Mummy!" I called out as Linda held me tightly, rocking back and forth, the telegram discarded on the floor. We heard worried whispers and people asking what was going on behind the curtain, but nobody disturbed us - other than Paul. He slipped through the curtain and then made sure it was completely closed.

He knelt on the floor beside us. "Are you okay? Lenny, what's -"  
Linda pushed the telegram to him. Paul read it and looked like he was going to cry himself. He moved a little closer and then put his arms around me as well, though my head stayed pressed against Linda's chest.

"Shush," Paul said as he tried to help Linda to soothe me. "We'll take care of you now, okay, Lennon?" 

Paul using my full name meant something. It was serious. It hurt him to use it because of John, but I knew that he was deadly serious because he had used it.

"I never asked her to write down her recipes!" I exclaimed as I continued to hyperventilate.

"We need to get you to sleep." Linda said.

Paul agreed. "There's no pain in sleep."

"Mummy!" I continued to call out. I felt like a lost child. Her name was all I could call out. "Mummy! Mummy!"

A different stewardess from the one before joined us. "Can I get you some water?" She asked, bending down so she was at eye height with us.

Linda shook her head. "No." She paused. "We'll have a bottle of brandy and some Carbitral pills."

"We're not allowed to -"  
"Now!" Linda snapped.

"Mrs McCartney," the stewardess said delicately, trying to stop Linda from lashing out again, "I cannot -"

Paul pulled his wallet out from the inside of his tuxedo jacket. "How much?" He asked, "how much for two sleeping pills?"  
I hated the thought of being drugged, but I was in so much mental pain right now that I knew it would be best for me to sleep, and that I would never get to sleep with so many emotions whirring around my brain.

"Sir, I cannot accept money for -"

"Two hundred US dollars." Paul pulled them out of his wallet and held them up to her. "All I want is two little pills." The stewardess bit her lip, looked Paul directly in the eyes, and reached out for the money - Paul snatched it away from her. "Pills first."

Twenty minutes later, I was back in my seat, my head against Linda's shoulder as she held me close to her. Linda had cared for me like a mother the past few days, and I trusted her to continue that. I was so close to falling asleep... as I faded in and out, I heard Paul say, "adopt her... she'd fit in with our girls lovely."


	15. Chapter 15

The following morning, I woke up with a heavy heart and aching eyes. I remembered how much I had cried the previous few days. Never in my life had I imagined being as vulnerable and low as I was at the moment. I turned over in bed and wondered if it would be worth trying to go back to sleep... I doubted it. There was a piece of paper on the bedside table, so I reached out for it. As I read through it, I realised it was from Linda.

_i'm downstairs, come down when you're ready. the airline lost your luggage, but_ _paul and i had some new clothes delivered for you. they're in the wardrobe see if_ _you like them. kids won't be home until tomorrow morning, so take the rest_ _of the day to do whatever._

_love you,_

_linda x_

I thought to myself, _love you? Does she mean that in a friendly way, or in a mothering way?_ I loved Linda too, of course, but I had no idea if I was ready or not for somebody else to start mothering me. It would feel like a trespass on my own mother's grave, I supposed. I even had come to love Paul - but then I remembered what he had said on the plane just as I was falling asleep. _"Adopt her... she'd fit in with our girls lovely."_ I wasn't ready to have my mother replaced, of that I was sure. I put the letter back down onto the bedside table and got up.

I went over to the large wardrobe in the corner of the room and opened it, one door at a time. Inside, there were beautiful clothes, and they all looked as though they would be a perfect fit. I loved all of them!

 _They all look expensive_ , I said to myself, wondering how much Paul and Linda had spent on me. I searched through the clothes for the one which I liked the most - eventually falling on a blue crinoline dress which I assumed would reach my midthighs. There were some silk baby blue ballet pumps among other shoes in the bottom of the wardrobe, so I picked them out and left them on the chair by the wardrobe. I opened the second door in the room and saw that it was an ensuite bathroom.

After I had had a shower, brushed through my hair with my fingers and towel dried it as best I could, I put the new clothes on. I also found a pair of white thigh high socks to go with the outfit. When I looked in the mirror, I saw that I looked like a doll - and that was exactly the look that I was going for. I went to leave the bedroom, trying to listen out for some sounds from downstairs so I knew that I was going the right way.

Linda smiled at me as soon as she saw me, standing in the doorway of the kitchen. "Morning!" She exclaimed as she left the food she was cooking and brought me into a hug. "How are you feeling today?"

"Sad." I told her honestly, "though I wanted to thank you and Paul for buying me all those clothes and -"

"Nonsense!" She grinned, "Paul and I consider you as part of the family now -"  
"Linda," I said. "That's what I want to talk to you about." The smile fell from her face. It was almost as if she knew what I was going to say. "I love both you and Paul," I started, trying to assure her of that simple fact before I continued, "but I've only just lost my mother... and I don't know if I'm ready to be inducted into a new one right away."  
"Lenny -"  
"I heard what Paul said to you on the plane," I said, "about me fitting in with your girls?"

Linda sighed and led me over to the dining table in the middle of the large kitchen. The dinner table itself could fit over twelve people around it. It was old, too. That much was obvious. She sat me down and then sat down beside me. "Lenny," Linda said, "Paul and I just don't want you to be alone, without a family. We know that you don't see much of your dad, and now your mum is no longer with us, we worry that you'll have nobody." After my mother, I had no family, it was true. "Paul suggested that we adopt you because he didn't want you to feel alone, or that you were being an inconvenience to us if you stayed here." She paused. "We'd still like to adopt you," Linda paused again. I didn't interrupt her this time, "but if that is something that you're not sure about, then there's no rush."

"You can't adopt children after they're eighteen." I told her. "I'll be eighteen in two weeks."

"Oh." Her face fell. "I guess there's not much point in having this conversation then. By the time everything is sorted out, you'll be eighteen already."

I put a hand on her shoulder. "Lin, if you want to adopt me... then I don't mind... but I don't want you to replace my mum."

Linda embraced me. "We'd never even _try_ to do that." She promised. "We just want you to have a support network around you for the rest of your life." She paused, "but Lennon, you're more like a friend than a daughter."

"Lin," I said, "I want you and Paul to adopt me."

She was right. I needed a support network, and there was nobody I trusted me to support me than I did Linda and Paul. 

When it was agreed that Linda and Paul would be adopting me, I jumped up from my chair. "I have to call Keith and tell him!"  
"But -"

"What's his number, Linda?!" I exclaimed, going straight over to their phone which was in the hallway, on a table against the stairs.

Linda sighed as she followed me into the hallway, "it's in the address book." She gestured to the red leather bound book by the phone. I opened it and flicked through it, trying not to marvel at the famous names written alongside the regular ones. I found Keith's name and dialled it.

"Hello?" He answered after about forty seconds of it ringing. He sounded disengaged and uninterested. I opened my mouth to answer, but then heard a little boy in the background.

"You got Marlon back, then?" 

"Lenny!" Keith exclaimed in surprise. It also sounded like he was happy to hear my voice, but I couldn't be 100% certain. "H-how are you? Are you okay?"  
"Of course I'm okay." I paused. "Paul and Linda are adopting me!"  
"What?" Keith asked in confusion. "What about your mum?"

I sucked in my breath and Linda began to rub at my shoulders, trying to calm me down and stop me from crying before I had even begun.

"She died, Keith." I answered hoarsely.

"Len, I'm so sorry, I -"  
"I'm glad you got Marlon back." I put the phone down and hurried away from Linda, trying to have a few minutes to myself.

It seemed that I had found the library. I walked inside and closed the door. Linda wasn't following me, but I needed to separate myself for a while. In the middle of the room, in front of a ceiling-to-floor length window which reminded me of my attic at home, there was a grand piano.

I sat down at it and opened the lid, staring for a few seconds at its beauty. It clearly had not been touched in years; the entire thing was covered in dust, though the keys were not as they had been covered by the lid. I reached out slowly and played a single key. Still perfectly in tune; so Paul and Linda obviously looked after it well. I began to play. I played every song that I knew twice over, and then some. I loved the piano. The sound of it, the images which it conjured in people's minds when they heard it.

"Your mother taught you to play, didn't she?" I jumped, my fingers missing the keys and losing their rhythm. I took my hands from the instrument and turned to Linda, who was watching me from a few feet away, the door to the library closed once more.

"How -" I cut myself off, swallowing once so that my throat was no longer dry, "how did you know?"  
"The way that your eyes glazed over." She paused, coming over to the piano and sitting beside me. "This one belonged to John Lennon. Paul doesn't play it because he said it makes him sad for the friend he lost."  
"Oh God," I said, "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have -"

Linda put a hand on my arm, which settled me considerably. "It's only fitting that a Lennon should play it, really, isn't it?" I smiled at Linda. She put an arm around me. "Feel free to play it whenever you want to, Lenny." She told me, "and your record player just arrived from Harrods."

"Harrods?" I raised an eyebrow.

Linda nodded. "Paul ordered it to be delivered whilst he was out buying your clothes."

"Oh wow." I said, "that's so kind of him - and from _Harrods_!"  
Linda smiled and kissed the side of my head. "He's gone to Liverpool to get the kids, but they won't be back until tomorrow because he wants to spend some time with Mike." She paused, "you and I could go out for a walk around London today?"

I nodded, "thanks, Lin," I replied, "that'd be lovely. I can't wait."


	16. Chapter 16

"Lenny!" Linda whispered into my ear. I opened one eye. "Happy birthday!" Linda giggled.

"Thanks!" I exclaimed, sitting up in bed and embracing her, pulling her down to sit on the bed beside me.

"Paul and I have a very special for you!" She enthused. "Come downstairs for it!"

"But -"  
"It's in the library!" She pressed a soft kiss to my forehead. "And the kids are waiting for you, too!"  
She left the room so I could get dressed.

* * * * *

I hurried downstairs, a big grin on my face as I heard Mary and Stella talking. I walked into the living room. They were each holding a present in their hands, and had wide smiles on their faces.

"Happy birthday!" They chorused.

"Thanks, girls!" I exclaimed, hugging them both.

"Open my present first!" Stella said, holding it out to me.

"Mine!" Mary also held her's out to me.

"Why don't I sit down -" I cut myself off, "where's James?" I looked around for the seven year old - the little boy who was now technically my brother.

"Helping mum with -" Mary put one of her hands over Stella's mouth. Stella's eyes widened and I giggled.

"Come on, you two," I said, "let's open these presents!"  
I sat on the sofa. "I'll open Stella's first as she's younger than you, Mar," I said, using the nickname which I had thought of for my adopted little sister. Mary nodded. I tore the tissue paper from Stella's gift and saw a beautiful pair of red heels there. "I love them!" I exclaimed. Mary then put her present into my lap. "Open this!" I tore the tissue off again. There was a blood red bodycon style dress which looked to be made of leather. I squealed in excitement, taking a sister under either arm and holding them close to me. "I love them! Thank you so much!" 

"And James made you this," Linda said, standing in the doorway of the living room and watching the scene in front of her. Mary, Stella and I all turned and saw James walking in, carrying a very sugary looking birthday cake. It was decorated in pink and blue and red icing with sweets and chocolates all over it.

"Happy birthday!" James put the cake down on the coffee table and then climbed into my lap, hugging me tightly. 

"Thanks, James!" I said, taking my arms from Mary and Stella so I could hold him properly. The two girls clutched at my sides. 

"Hold on!" Linda exclaimed, "I want a photo of that!" She dashed off for her camera, returning a few seconds later and coming to stand in front of us. "Smile!" We all grinned and she snapped the photo. "That's going in a frame as soon as it's developed!"  
She put her camera on the mantel piece and then said, "time for mine and Paul's present!" She took James from my lap and set him in Mary's lap. She then grabbed me by the hand and pulled me to the library.

Paul was sitting at John Lennon's piano. He smiled at me. "Happy birthday, luv." He held out his arms. I went over to him and he embraced me. I sat on the stool with him, "this is from me and Linda." Linda closed the library door and came over to stand by the piano, clearing her throat. Paul started to play a tune, and Linda sang...

_Light out wanderlust_

_Head us out to sea_

_Captain says there'll be a bust_

_This one's not for me_

_Take us from the dark_

_Out where we can see_

_Captain's out to make his mark_

_This one's not to be_

_Light out wanderlust_

_Help us to be free_

_Light out wanderlust_

_Do it just for me_

_Wanderlust_

_Oh where did I, go wrong my love?_

_What petty crime was I found guilty of?_

_What better time to find a brand new day?_

_Oh wanderlust away_

_Light out wanderlust_

_Help us to be free_

_Light out wanderlust_

_Do it just for me_

_Wanderlust_

_Captain's out to make his mark_

_This one's not to be_

_Light out wanderlust_

_Head us out to sea_

_Captain says there'll be a bust_

_This one's not for me_

_Dropping a line_

_Maybe this time_

_It's wanderlust for me_

When they had finished, I clapped, practically jumping out of my chair. "That was beautiful!" I cried, "I always wanted to be a singer."  
Paul and Linda looked at each other, a knowing look on both of their faces, "so sing then." Paul said as he handed me a copy of the song which had come from under the sheet music which he had been playing from. "I'll play, and you sing."

"But I can't -" I tried to put him off - imagine the great Paul McCartney hearing _me_ sing.

"Maybe we could get you into the studio on Abbey Road." Paul mused, looking at his wife again.

My eyes widened and I grinned, throwing my arms around Paul again. "Really!?"  
"If you're any good, then sure, kid." He grinned. "But I have to hear you, first." Paul looked at me to make sure I was ready. I looked down at the lyrics briefly and then gave him a single nod. Linda clapped her hands silently and grinned as she watched us perform together.

As soon as the song was done, Linda exclaimed, "I'm going to call George Martin right now!" And she hurried out of the room. I turned to Paul.

"Thank you so much, Paul," I said, "you and Lin have done more for me than I ever could have hoped for -"

"Is something wrong?" Paul asked as he looked at my face with concern, "you look like you're going to -"

I got up and sprinted out of the room, my hands over my mouth.

I just about made it to the toilet on time. I threw the contents of my stomach up - I was surprised that there was anything _to_ throw up, because I hadn't eaten dinner the previous night.

When I came back into the library, still wiping my mouth and feeling slightly queasy, Paul and Linda were talking in hushed tones with their heads bent close together.

"Sorry, Paul," I said, "I just felt a little bit -"

"Lennon," Linda said softly, "why don't we go talk upstairs?"

"What?" I asked in a surprised, confused tone of voice, "why?"

Linda looked at me with a sympathetic look on her face. "It's important. I wouldn't ask, otherwise. Come on." She walked past me, expecting me to follow her.

I looked at Paul, confusion written across my face. "I think you'd better go with her, Lenny." He said, somewhat sympathetically. "And we love you just the same, yeah?"

I nodded slowly. "T-thanks, Paul..." I turned slowly and followed Linda up the stairs.


	17. Chapter 17

Linda was in her and Paul's bedroom, a room which I had only been in a few times since arriving at 7 Cavendish Avenue two weeks previously. She was sitting on her bed, waiting for me to join her.

I did, albeit cautiously.

"Lin?" I asked, "what's all this about...?"  
She sighed. "Lenny," she said slowly, "do you remember when you slept with Keith?" My face grew hot at the memory of our skin colliding, our tongues in each other's mouths... but even more so in embarrassment at telling Linda about it now that she was my adopted mother. I nodded. "Did you... did you use protection?" By the way that she was talking, I guessed that this conversation was as awkward for her as it was for me.

"D-does it matter?" I asked her, biting my lip.

Linda sighed again. She stood up and went into her ensuite bathroom. I didn't follow her, though I could hear her rifling through the medicine cupboard and some drawers looking for something.

After a few seconds, she said, "found it!" She came back into the bedroom, the item behind her back. Linda sat back down beside me. "Don't think badly of me because of what I'm going to ask you to do next, Lenny," she said, "but we have to be sure - you have your whole life ahead of you and something like this could change everything -"

"What are you talking about, Lin?" I asked quietly, a feeling that I already knew _exactly_ what she was saying.

She produced the item from behind her back and held it out to me. "I think you should take a pregnancy test."

Wordlessly, I stared at the box for the test. "Why do you even have a pregnancy test in there?"

Linda hesitated before she said, "Paul and I are a very... loving... couple." 

I pretended to retch before I looked back at the boxed test. "I don't think..."

"It's just a precaution," she assured me, "you might be genuinely sick."  
"Lin," I said, "I can't be... not... I'm not pregnant, Linda."

Linda leaned over and took me into her arms. "It'd explain your mood swings, weird food cravings -"  
"Dipping my fish fingers in soy sauce is not a food craving." I argued, keeping a calm tone. The last thing I wanted was to argue with Linda.  
"Then how do you explain the throwing up in the morning?" She asked. I was about to tell her that it had only been today I'd been sick, but she interrupted me, "and don't say it's only this morning - I've heard you in the bathroom retching every single morning for the last two weeks." I closed my mouth again.

"Lin!" I cried, suddenly tears fell from my eyes, "I can't be!"

She hugged me, shushing me gently. "It's not the end of the world, Lennon," she assured me, "babies can be -"  
"I'm eighteen!" I sobbed, "I'm too young for a baby and Keith isn't interested -" I cut myself off, "oh my God," I said, "would I even _tell_ him?"

Linda pressed a soft kiss to my cheek, "well that's up to you, isn't it?" She asked in a tone that sounded so motherly it made my heart ache for the mother I had lost not so long ago. 

I took a deep breath and the pregnancy test from her hand. "I'll do it." I said. "But it has to be now - I'll chicken out otherwise." Linda nodded in understanding and gestured to the bathroom. 

"I'll wait right here." She promised. I hugged her tightly once more and then took a deep breath. I stood up and walked into the bathroom, locking the door behind me.

"Whatever the result is," Linda said as I came out of the bathroom with the capped pregnancy test stick in hand, "I still love you, and Paul does too, okay? If it's positive and you choose to get rid of it, then -"  
"Lin," I said, cutting her off. "Do you mind if we don't talk about it until... until it's ready?"  
She nodded, giving me her best encouraging smile. "Come sit," she patted the bed again, "we'll play a game."

"A game?" I raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"

"Scrabble?" She suggested.

Twenty minutes later, I looked up at her. Linda had her tongue poking out the corner of her mouth. "Lin," I said, "it's time."

She looked up from her letters. "You're sure it's been long enough?" I nodded, but made no effort to check the test. "Do you want me to do it for you?" I nodded and handed it to her. Linda looked directly at me and then turned the test over to see the result.

From the way she looked back up at me almost immediately, I knew the answer.

"Oh my God..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say.

"We can sort everything out for you if you -"  
I looked at her, and Linda was silent. "I have to ring him, don't I?" I hadn't spoken to Keith since I had put the phone down on him two weeks ago after I had told him about my mother's death.

Linda sighed. "You should tell him."

I took a deep breath and nodded. "I need to tell Paul first." She agreed. We put Scrabble away, disposed of the pregnancy test and washed our hands before went downstairs.


	18. Chapter 18

"Paul?" I said, hovering at the door of the library. He was still sitting at the piano, albeit staring at it sadly. "I have to tell you..."

Paul stood up and closed the piano lid before he followed me and Linda into the living room. Stella, James and Mary were all in there already. Stella and Mary were talking, and James was playing with a toy train that he'd been bought the previous week.

Linda took me by the hand and led me over to the armchair, sitting me down before she pulled the footstool over to sit beside me. Paul picked James up and sat him in his lap, beside Mary.

"I have to... to tell you all something." I felt myself tearing up. There was no way that this could be happening to me. I wasn't ready to be a mother. As tears spilled over and rolled down my cheeks, Linda rubbed my back. She soothed me, shushing me gently and helping me to regain my breath. When I was ready to speak again, I said, "I'm g-going to h-have..." another deep breath and my mind was so much clearer, "I'm going to have a baby."

Mary and Stella's face lit up. Paul was silent. James asked, "when?"

"In about eight months, James." Linda answered. "Not for a while yet."  
James replied, "oh."

"Have you picked out any names yet?" Asked Stella, a grin on her pretty face.

I began to sob harder. Stella looked to her mother, "did I say something wrong?"

The doorbell rang. Paul handed James to Mary and then said, "I'll get it." Before he left the room to answer the door. We were all silent, listening to see who it was. "Keith...?" We heard him say. I internally groaned and Linda continued to soothe me, putting her arms around me. I continued to cry. 

"Is she here?" We heard Keith ask. He then pushed past Paul and into the house, hurrying into the living room. When he saw me, he stopped. When he noticed that I was crying, he rushed over to me and knelt down at my feet. "What's wrong, baby girl?"

At the name he used for me, I cried harder and buried my face in Linda's chest. Linda pushed Keith away as best she could without disturbing my position against her. Paul came into the room and pulled Keith up, bringing him out of the room to tell him about the baby because I was incapable of doing so.

Marlon, however, ran into the room. Mary saw how broken I was and got up. She put her arms around me, and then Stella and James did the same. I loved having a family around me, because me and mum had never really _been_ a family - we had been more like two people co-existing in the same house. Marlon hurried over. "I'll hug!" He exclaimed as he too threw his arms around me.

A minute went by of being hugged by my siblings and Marlon and Linda before Keith came back into the room. When they noticed that he was back, they all pulled away from me and quickly left the room - except Marlon, who sat on the settee. 

Keith knelt at my feet again, "we need to talk, Lenny." He said softly.

He was right, of course. As if we hadn't had enough problems before, we now had a baby to think about.

I nodded. Keith took my hand and helped me to stand up once he had regained his full height - Linda put a hand on my shoulder as she also stood up. I looked back at her and saw only concern in her eyes, "do you want me or Paul to go with you?"

I nodded, "but this is something that you two can't help me with." I followed Keith out of the house and into the busy London streets of St. John's Wood.


	19. Chapter 19

As Keith held my hand through the busy London streets, he said, "Paul said that he and Linda would watch Marlon for us."

"I'm glad that you got him back, Keith." I told him, "honestly. I know that... that when Anita left with him, you got -"  
"I'm sorry for how I acted then." He turned to me, stopping in the middle of the street, "I had a problem and I took it out on you, and that was wrong."

I smiled and leaned forward, placing a soft kiss on the tip of his nose. "Apology accepted."

Keith grinned. "Now," he said, "how about lunch in Fortnum & Mason?"

"I have no idea what that is," I said, "but it sounds expensive - are you sure?"

Keith nodded and took his hand from mine, instead wrapping an arm around my waist. "Of course," he said, "only the best for my birthday girl!"  
  
  
We had afternoon tea on the top floor of an expensive looking department store. "I've never been here before," Keith said as he sipped at his tea, a sight which made me want to giggle. Keith Richards, rockstar, was sitting in a little cafe type of place in Piccadilly sipping from a bone china teacup. "It's quite nice, isn't it?"  
I nodded, nibbling on a cucumber sandwich, thinking of the elephant in the room. _Am I going to mention it first or will he_? I wondered.

"Are you going to keep it?" Keith asked quietly, daintily pasting a scone with cream. He held it out to me.

"Of course." I replied, taking the scone from him and then putting the blackcurrant jam on top.

"And it'll live with you?"

"And Linda and Paul, and the kids." I answered, taking a bite of the scone.

"Will I be allowed to see it?"

"Are you going back to America?" I asked.

Keith sighed and put his own scone down, half with cream on it and the other half with jam. "Don't you think we should give this another go?" He asked, "if not for our sake then for the baby's."

I swallowed the piece of scone I had been chewing. "Keith," I paused, "you turn up unannounced with no birthday present and an agenda to be reunited -"

"I didn't say that I didn't get you a present." He paused, "I just didn't bring it."

"Wonderful!" I snapped, drawing the attention of several waiters and also some people on the tables around us. "They're the same fucking thing." I said, somewhat more quietly.

Keith sighed and stood up slightly, reaching behind him.

"And now you're scratching your arse -"

He held up a key in front of my face. "What's this?" I asked him. I took the key and held it in my hands.

"A key to your new home - 100 Hamilton Terrace." He paused, "it's an eleven minute walk from Paul and Linda's."

I looked up from the key and into his dark brown eyes. "You're serious?"

"Deadly, baby." He answered.

I suddenly stood up and threw myself across the table and into his arms. "I love you!" I exclaimed, pushing my lips against his. Keith didn't respond. I pulled away after a few seconds and sat back down. "I'm sorry, I -"  
Keith stood up and left his chair. I thought that he was going to leave me at the table, alone, and with the bill - but instead, he came around to my chair and held me tightly, kissing me passionately. When he did pulled away, he said, "I love you so much more, Lennon." Keith paused, "please can me and Marlon stay with you? Now I know about the baby, I don't want to leave you alone -"  
"Please stay." I said. "Keith, please don't go back to America. Please don't leave me... ever again."  
"Never again." Keith promised as he pressed his lips against mine once more. My heart skipped a beat as Keith threw some pound notes onto the table and led me out of the department store.


	20. Chapter 20

"Here we are," Keith said as we stopped outside of a house, "100 Hamilton Terrace." He waved a hand at it, "isn't it something?"  
"It sure is!" I agreed as I pulled him up to the house.

"I had it all decorated for you, darling, and all of your stuff shipped over from America." I reached into Keith's back pocket to retrieve the key - that was where I had stored it because I was wearing a dress and didn't have any pockets. Keith smirked as he felt my hand on his arse, taking longer than necessary to receive the piece of metal.

When I opened the door to my new house, I couldn't help but let my mouth fall open. It was perfect; exquisitely decorated, and sure enough, all of my belongings from California were dotted around in the places where they would fit.

"And your mother's things are in the loft, waiting for you."

"Oh, Keith!" I exclaimed emotionally as I turned around to wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him. He put his hands under my thighs and picked me up. I wrapped my legs around his waist and he carried me up the stairs and to the master bedroom.

Immediately Keith took the lead and put me onto the bed. I fell backwards onto the soft mattress and used my elbows to support me as I sat up and watched Keith remove all of his clothing, leaving him standing in the middle of the room stark naked.

I smiled at the sight of him, feeling like everything was how it should be.

"Strip." Keith ordered. And now it was his turn to watch me undress. I wanted so desperately to give him a strip tease, but I had no patience for it.

As soon as I was naked and my clothes were thrown onto the floor, he climbed onto the bed and straddled me. I had missed the feeling of his skin against my own, his weight on mine.

It wasn't that Keith was in a hurry to leave, though. It was more like he was in a hurry to feel me once more. It was as if he were afraid that this were all a dream, and that I would soon slip away from him again. He pumped his shaft a few times to get completely erect before he lined himself up against my opening -

But I stopped him. He looked at me, his mouth opened wide questioningly. "What?!" He asked, sounding desperate.

"Condom..." I said quietly.

“You’re already pregnant -”

“STDs.” I pointed out.

Keith groaned and leaned over to the bedside table, digging around in the first drawer. I was slightly amused that he had already put them into the drawer.

“Slightly presumptuous.” I teased as he ripped open the foil packet with his teeth and then rolled the rubber onto his length. When he had finished, he looked at me. " _Now_ can I fuck you?" Keith growled.

Feeling so turned on by his choice of words, I nodded. Without a second thought, he thrusted into me harshly, immediately bottoming out. I screamed out in pleasure, feeling full again and like myself for the first time in many weeks.

Keith, too, looked as though he was home. He breathed out a sigh of relief as his balls slapped against my arse, drawing himself out of me again and then quickly slamming back in. I moaned at the friction, feeling every inch of him grate against me as he moved in and out and out and in, repeatedly.

"So fucking tight, Lennon!" Keith moaned out as he continued to impale me with his length, "oh fuck, baby! I've missed this!"

I screamed out his name in response as I felt the pit in the bottom of my stomach become almost fully charged.

Keith pulled out of me so quickly that I thought he was still inside of me for a second — that was, until he turned me over and then slapped my arse harshly. I moaned out and he slid into me from the back this time, continuing his fast pace from a few seconds previously.

The new position meant that he could go so much deeper within me, hitting that sensitive spot deep inside that he knew drove me crazy. Within a minute, I could feel him exploding inside of the condom and that oddly familiar sensation pushed me over the precipice, too. We orgasmed almost in sync with each other before we collapsed into the other's arms.

I had missed Keith holding me like this so much. 


	21. Chapter 21

"This is where I belong," I breathed out a sigh of contentedness as I turned over in Keith's arms so that we could look at each other.

"In my bed?" Keith asked in a cheeky tone of voice.

"In your arms." I corrected, snuggling closer to him. Keith leaned his head down and kissed the top of my head.

"Lennon Richards," Keith mused, seemingly to himself, "what a name."

I teased, "thinking of baby names already?" I giggled.

"Thinking of your name, darling." Keith replied. "We should get married."

Well, he had certainly surprised me there. "What?" I asked, "today?" Keith nodded, careful to avoid bashing me in the top of the head with his chin. I laughed. He had to be joking.

"Right now." He said. "Let's get ready and go -"  
"Keith," I said gently, "these things have to be booked months in advance -"

"Not for Mr and soon-to-be Mrs Richards, they don't." He got out of bed and slipped on his boxer shorts from the previous day, "call Paul and Linda and tell them to get the kids up and ready and out. Tell them that we'll meet then at Caxton Registry Office in an hour."

In a slight daze, I got out of the bed and pulled on my panties and Keith's shirt from the previous night, not bothering to put on a bra. I went downstairs and to the phone which was in the hallway by the front door. 

"McCartney residence." Came the bright greeting on the other end of the phone.

"Linda!" I exclaimed.

" _Lenny_!?" She answered back, sounding just as excited. "We thought you'd be home yesterday! Are you okay, dear?!"  
"Fine," I replied, "absolutely fine - in fact, I'm better than fine - Keith and I are going to get married!"  
"Oh!" Linda exclaimed, sounding surprised, "congratulations."

"No." I said, "we're getting married _today_ \- in an hour, actually. Can you meet us at Caxton Registry Office?"

"Don't you think it's a little... well, soon?" She asked gently. "Before yesterday you hadn't spoken to him in weeks -"

"He bought me this beautiful house just round the corner from you, Lin, and had everything brought over from California. It's all decorated and ready to move into - we've decided to give our relationship another go."

"Well that is wonderful, Lennon," she said in a stretched tone of voice, sounding awfully like she was trying not to chastise me, "but I really think you should wait a little bit -"

"Lin," I said, my emotions deflating as I realised that the person who I loved and trusted so much was not as happy for me as I thought she would be, "you're not very happy about this, are you?"

Linda sighed. "You're just young, Lenny... but I suppose you're about to grow up a lot faster than Paul and I wanted you to." She paused. "As a carer, I have to voice my concern and try to stop you," she paused again, "but as a friend, I have to tell you to follow your heart... so the two parts of me that love you are going to argue with one another all day."

"Lin -"  
"We'll see you in an hour. Do you need us to bring you something to wear?"

"Let me ask Keith," I answered. I called up the stairs, "Keith, do I need to get Linda to bring me a dress!?"  
"No!" He called back. "There's some stuff in the wardrobe!"

I relayed it to Linda, "there are clothes in the wardrobe, apparently." I paused. "Just bring yourselves, the kids, and your camera."

Linda replied, "okay. See you at Caxton Registry Office in one hour. I love you, Lennon."  
"And I love you," I replied, "mum..."

I heard Linda suck her breath in on the end of the line. "I love you." She said again as she hung up.


	22. Chapter 22

"In the eyes of the law, you are now man and wife." The registrar said as he closed the book he had been reading from. "Congratulations." Keith, unprompted, turned to me and pushed his lips against my own. Joyfully, I kissed back. Linda was moving around the room constantly now and throughout the service, snapping photographs which she promised to get developed and put into a photo album for us.  
  
We got outside, and immediately Paul and Linda were upon me and Keith, "Mary!" Linda called to her daughter, "take a photo!" She handed the camera to Mary who told us to pose. She snapped the photo of the four of us and then handed the camera back to Linda, "now you and Keith!" Linda snapped another, "and now with Marlon!" It seemed that Linda was more excited about the photographs than I was.

She took some more and then decided to put her camera away. Keith called Marlon over to us. The little boy hurried over. Keith picked him up and sat him on his hip. "Lenny's going to be your mummy now, okay?" He asked, "she needs lots of practice because there's a baby inside of her." He paused, "in about eight months, you're going to have a little brother or sister." Marlon leant down in Keith's arms until he was at the same height as my stomach - Keith had to adjust his hold on him so that he didn't drop him.

"Hello, baby!" He exclaimed against the fabric of my dress, symbolically white, though I was definitley not a virgin, so shouldn't have been wearing that colour on my wedding day. "I'm Marlon. I'm your brother and I love you!"  
  
I smiled and took Marlon from Keith, holding him close to me. "The baby loves you too, Marlon." I told him, "he or she can't wait to meet you." Marlon cheered and wriggled to be let down, so I put him back onto the ground. He immediately stood up and hurried off to find James.

Keith was kissing my lips and placing his hands on my arse, but that didn't stop me from noticing Mary sitting by herself on a bench a little way away from the party of us; the McCartneys, and now the Richards. I told Keith that I'd be back and then made my way over to her.

"Hey, Mar." I said softly as I sat down beside her. 

"Hey." She answered in a sad tone of voice.

"You okay?"

"It's the end now, isn't it?" She asked suddenly.

"The end of what?" 

"The end of me and you. For a while, I had someone who wasn't Stella. I don't always want to have to occupy her -"  
"Of course it's not the end, Mary." I told her honestly. I put an arm around her. "You can come over to our house whenever you want to."

Mary looked at me in surprise, "you have your own house?" She asked in disbelief.

"Well you didn't think that me, Keith and Marlon would be living with you all, did you?" I teased.

Mary shrugged, "I thought that you might go back to America. That's where you came from, isn't it?" I nodded. 

"But we're not going back there - at least, not until after the baby is born. We're here for the foreseeable future." I paused, "the new house is on Hamilton Terrace -"

"That's near Abbey Road, right?" I nodded. "That's not far -"  
"You're welcome anytime, Mary." I told her. "All of you are; as if I'm going to get married, move out, and forget about you all." I put my arms around my little sister and kissed the top of her head. "I love you, Mar."  
"I'm going to miss you, Lenny." She said into my shoulder as we were roughly the same height.

"And I'm going to miss you, too."

Somebody cleared their throat. We turned in unison and saw that it was Paul.

"Daddy!" Mary exclaimed in surprise. I was silent.

"Mary," Paul said softly, "mind giving me some time alone with Lenny?" She shook her head and stood up, bounding back to Linda, looking significantly happier than she had done three minutes previously. Paul sat in his daughter's recently vacated spot beside me, "so that's it then?" He said.

"What's it?" I asked, genuinely slightly confused.

"You're married now with your own house and little family, and a baby on the way." He paused, "you won't need me and Linda anymore."

I smiled at him, rolling my eyes playfully. "I'll _always_ need you and Linda." I told him honestly. "You're both going to be grandparents in a few months!" I reminded him.

He grinned. "I can't wait - though I thought I might have to wait a few more years until I went from dad to grandad." He paused, "but then you came along and turned everything upside down."

He put an arm around my shoulders and pulled me closer to him. I rested my head on his shoulder, and then he rested his head on mine. "You and Linda, Stella, James and Mary will stop by, won't you?" I asked him, genuinely worried that now I was married they might not bother to come round because they thought that I already had my own little family.

"Whenever we're allowed." He teased.

"You're all welcome anytime," I promised, "I already told Mary that, but I think it will take some getting used to."  
"It will," Paul agreed. "And the same goes for you - if you ever need a night away, then just ring the bell." I smiled.

"Thanks, dad." I said.

Paul's breath caught in his throat. He turned to me. "Did you mean to...?" He asked.

I nodded and kissed his cheek, "you and Linda are my parents - I don't know how, but it seems like you and her deserve the names much more than my real parents ever did." I did, of course, still miss my mother though - but the more I thought about it, the more I remembered the days when she _hadn't_ been there. I remembered the days when she had left me at home by myself while she went to work as a nurse for a twenty-four shift. She hadn't been a great mum, and I knew that I wanted to be better.

I wanted my baby - and even _Marlon_ \- to have opportunities that I never had.

"We love you, y'know." Paul said, tearing up a little.

I nodded. "I know. And I love you both, too." I paused. "And thank you for giving me away earlier," I said, "I know it was an odd request because it wasn't a church, but -"

"I was so pleased when you asked me," Paul said, "I thought you didn't like me as much as you liked Linda, but the fact that you asked me really showed that I was just being paranoid."

"Paul," I said, "sometimes a girl is just closer to her mum. It isn't anything against her dad, but... it just happens. And I think that it's because Linda was a lot more _there_ for me in America." I paused, "but you're my dad, and I definitely need one."  
Paul kissed the top of my head. "I'm here anytime, sweetheart." He promised. We sat in silence for a minute or so before he sniffled and said, "right! We should get back to your husband, no?" 

I agreed. "He might start wondering if I've done a runner already -"  
"You'll never do a runner." Paul interrupted.

"And why do you think that is?" I really wanted to know his reasoning behind what he had said.

"Because you love him." Paul answered simply. "And you never truly leave your first love."


	23. Chapter 23

After the wedding ceremony, we all headed back to our new house. Keith said that there was a pool area, and it was agreed that that would be a lovely place to celebrate our marriage.

And it was. The pool was large, and around the pool area were chairs and tables dotted around. Keith and Paul moved all of the tables close together, and refused to let me help because I was pregnant. I had tried to point out to them that me helping to move a few pieces of furniture at such an early stage in my pregnancy would have little effect, but it had been to no avail. As soon as the tables were together and the chairs neatly arranged, Keith exclaimed, "I'll get the caterers to bring in the food!"  
I hadn't expected him to be able to get caterers at such a short notice, so I simply nodded and grinned in amazement.  
We ate happily. Mary sat beside me on one side, and Keith on the other. "A toast!" Paul exclaimed as he stood up, raising his glass, "to Keith and Lennon Richards!" Everybody was drinking champagne besides Marlon, James and I. 

"Keith and Lennon Richards!" Was the proclamation around the table.

"And now," Paul said, putting his glass down and the rest of the table following suit, "Keith and I would like to sing you a song, luv." Keith and he left the table. Marlon moved into my lap from where he had been sitting on the other side of Keith, and I held him close to me as we all watched them get ready to perform.

My heart was beating tenfold as Keith stepped up to a microphone and Paul hung a lefthanded stratocaster around his neck. "To my beautiful wife," Keith said by way of an introduction, "and to our baby, and our future together. I love you!" He paused, looking back at Paul who nodded to show that he was ready. They launched into a song immediately, and my heart soared. It was one of my favourite Beatles song - _Please Please Me_!

We all applauded at the end, my eyes brimming with tears at the thoughtful thing which the two most important men in my life has just done for me.

"I know he'll treat you well," said Linda, who was now sitting in Keith's recently vacated seat. "He's learnt his lesson."

I smiled, nodding in agreement. "Mummy!" Marlon exclaimed from my lap as he looked up at me with a bright smile on his little face.

"Marlon, I don't think -"

Linda stopped me with a hand on my arm, "kids know best." She said, "if they're ready to call you mum, then they're ready." She paused, "and imagine the dig that Anita will feel when she hears _her_ son calling _you_ mummy."

I disliked Anita, and would love for her to feel as small as she used to make me feel. I grinned and hugged the woman who had adopted me; my best friend, and also the best mother I had ever had. "Thank you so much for everything, Lin," I said.

Linda smiled and hugged me back. "Thank you for letting Paul and I adopt you - just because you're married now doesn't mean that we don't still want you for Sunday roasts." She paused, "but you might have to bring dessert now - there's two extra mouths to feed." She looked at Keith who was waving Marlon over to him and Paul, who were talking. 

"Soon to be three." I reminded her.

"Soon to be three." Linda excited, "are you excited?"

"More so than I was yesterday. I know that with Keith by my side, I'll be alright." Linda nodded and smiled.

"And with us, of course."  
"Of course." I agreed.

"We'll never let you down, Lenny. We're your family -"  
I threw my arms around her once again, the tears now spilling down from my eyes as I realised how wonderful a person Linda McCartney was.


	24. Chapter 24

Five weeks later and two months pregnant. I had marked the date on my calendar as the first recording session at Abbey Road, but I woke up feeling sick and drowsy. 

When I voiced this to Keith, he said, "you don't have to go in - I can call Paul and tell him that you need a day in bed if you want."

Paul had agreed to help me out in the studio, and so had promised to be there for every recording session that he could. "I don't want to let him down."  
"You won't be." My husband promised, moving a warm hand to my tiny baby bump under the velvet covers of our bed, "he knows how pregnancies can be - he's had three children with Linda."

I nodded in agreement, "but this is to be my _first_ recording session. It's special. I can't just pull out of it because I feel a bit ill."

"It could be dangerous -" I placed a kiss on Keith's head. 

"I'll be fine," I reassured him, though I felt far from it. "And if I need to come home, then I'll give you a call."

"I'll send a car round to get you." Keith promised. I got out of the bed slowly and made my way over to the wardrobe, picking out my outfit for the day.  
"What are you and Marlon planning on doing today?" I asked as I got changed, shameless in front of the man I loved and cherished.

"Well I was supposed to be meeting Mick and Ronnie today," Keith replied, "and I was going to take Marlon with me... but since you're going out and might need me back, I think we're going to just hang around and watch TV."

"Why not have Mick and Ronnie over?" I suggested, brushing out my hair.

"Really?" Keith asked in surprise. I nodded.

"It's your house too, isn't it?" 

Keith grinned and jumped out of the bed, wearing only his underpants. He kissed my mouth, nibbling on the bottom lip, taking a hand in his own and gently tugging me back towards the bed.

I knew where this was headed.

"As tempting as that is," I said softly, withdrawing my hand and mouth from him, "I'm going to be late, and if I get back into that bed then I don't think I'll ever get out."

Keith sighed, pretending as though my reluctance to get back into bed with him was the greatest travesty on planet Earth. I giggled.

"Give Marl my love." I said as I went out of our bedroom door.

"I will." Keith promised, hearing me walk downstairs and into the hallway. "I love you!"

"I love you!" I called back in reply, closing the door behind me.

The walk to Abbey Road was wonderful. I enjoyed the London air and atmosphere. Everything seemed so quintessentially British, right down to the bright red phone boxes on every street corner. 

I arrived at the recording studio and went up to the front desk. "Hi," I said brightly to the receptionist, who looked to be around forty years old, "my name is Lennon? Is my dad here? Paul McCartney?"

"How quaint," she said sarcastically, filing her nails and not bothering to look up at me, "Miss Lennon is looking for her dad, Mr McCartney. Wait... is your name _Lennon McCartney_?" She laughed. "Nice try, sweetheart!"

"Kathy!" The secretary, Kathy, and I, both jumped. I turned and saw Paul striding towards us, purposeful in his stride. He reached us and kissed my cheek, "hello, luv," he said before he turned to the secretary again, "are you being rude again?" Kathy didn't reply. Instead, Paul continued. "You've been told and told and _told_ about that! Do you even _want_ this job? This is your final straw -"

"This must be she!" I turned and saw another man striding towards us, arms wide open.

"George," Paul said, "this is my adopted daughter, Lennon."

George embraced me, kissing either of my cheeks. I smiled at the greeting because it was so warming. "The new Mrs Richards," George elaborated, "I was so happy when Paul told me that somebody finally managed to tie Keith Richards down!" I giggled. "And to hear that the two of you have a _baby_ on the way - well, I was just so surprised!"  
I looked at Kathy self consciously. She was watching the scene in front of her curiously.

"This is George Martin," Paul said, gesturing to George.

"Wow," I said brightly, "what an honour it is, Mr Martin!" I exclaimed, "I've been listening to Beatles records for years, and never thought I'd get the pleasure to meet the man who mixed such magic!"  
"You flatter me, Mrs Richards," George teased. "Come, we're running a little late, but no matter." He put a hand on the small of my back and led me down the hallways of EMI Abbey Road recording studios, Paul following behind us. As we disappeared, I was pleased to see a gobsmacked look on Kathy the secretary's middle aged face.

" _Wanderlust_ first, is it?" George asked as I was in place, ready to record, and Paul was in place behind his piano. It was only he and I playing on this track. Paul and I nodded. "Rolling!" 

Paul began to play, and I began to sing shortly afterwards.


	25. Chapter 25

I practically danced home from Abbey Road that night because the session had gone so well. We'd recorded three new songs, including _Wanderlust_ , which would be released as the A-side on my first ever single. There had been talk of an album, and Paul had agreed to fund it until a record deal could be found and signed - though I had insisted that that wouldn't be necessary because Keith would finance it... I was sure that he wouldn't have a problem with helping me in my music career.

I got home to the house and came in through the backdoor, smiling as I heard my husband singing loudly in the front room. I went in, "hi!" I exclaimed brightly.

Keith immediately put down his bottle - of Jack Daniels. It was mostly empty. I resisted the urge to groan a little as I realised that he had probably drunk a _lot_ more than just two-thirds of a bottle of Jack. He embraced me and then pressed his lips against my own. Usually, I loved kissing my husband - but not when his mouth tasted of alcohol and his hands went straight down to my arse... right in front of his friends.

"How was the studio?" He slurred.

I smiled, pretending as though he was speaking normally. "Wonderful!" I enthused. "We recorded three songs today, and George Martin said that there was a really good chance of a record deal!"

"That's amazing!" Keith answered, kissing me again before he turned aside and gestured to his two friends, "you remember Mick." Mick put a hand up to me by way of a greeting, though he didn't look best pleased to see me, "and this is Ronnie," he gestured to another man with brown eyes and brown hair, a rather large nose, and a big smile on his slightly wrinkled face. "I don't think the two of you have met before?"  
Ronnie seemed slightly less inebriated than Mick and Keith. He stood up and walked over to me, embracing me. He didn't smell like alcohol at all, which was surprising. "Mrs Richards!" He exclaimed, "so pleased to meet you at last!"

"And you, Ronnie," I replied politely. I turned to Keith, "where's Marlon?" I asked, concerned that the four year old was not being looked after properly because the adults in the house were drunk, or at least under the influence of alcohol. I doubted that Ronnie had had _nothing_ to drink whilst Keith and Mick had been downing the alcohol liked nobody's business.

"He's up in his room." Keith replied. "Woody checked on him about two hours ago -"  
"Right," I said, not best amused by how long the three men had left a child alone, "I'll go and see to him, then." I left the three men and went upstairs to Marlon's room.

I knocked on the door, "Marl?" When I heard no reply, I pushed the door to his bedroom open. I let out a sigh of relief when I saw him playing on the floor with his toys, seemingly lost in his own world. I went over to him and picked him up, holding him close to me. "You okay?"

He nodded. "Little bit hungry."

"Did you have breakfast?" I asked, wondering at what time Keith had begun drinking. He was a fantastic father, but I knew from experience with my own biological one that alcohol made men forget. Marlon nodded. "What about lunch?" Marlon didn't nod. I sighed, "come on, then. We'll go and make something." I carried him down the stairs and into the kitchen, sitting him down on the edge of one of the counters, "fancy anything in particular?" I cooked and laughed and talked to Marlon until the dinner was done. I told Marlon to go and sit at the table in the dining room. I went into the living room and said, "dinner's ready - are any of you hungry?"

Ronnie and Keith shook their heads, but Mick stood up, "I am!" And he followed me into the dining room.

I sat down beside Marlon, and Mick sat opposite me. As I plated the food up, Mick asked, "why did you go after Keith?"

The question caught me off guard, but I did my best to feign confidence. I put a plate of food in front of Marlon. "Whatever do you mean by that, Mick?" I asked, now plating up his dinner.

"He was practically married, and he was happy - and now what is he? Tied down with a teenager, a baby, and a life in London."

Mick had never been particularly unkind - in fact, I remembered him taking him no shame in staring at my tits the last time we had met.

However, I didn't want it to appear as though Keith had married a young girl who was a pushover, so I leaned over the table and spitefully replied, "he's happily married with a baby on the way and a family in London... that is more than you can say for yourself, Mick Jagger." Mick swallowed audibly. I turned to make sure that Marlon wasn't paying attention to our conversation before I warned, "and if you care _at all_ about Keith, then you'll stop saying things like that to me, and you certainly won't ever say it to him. He loves me, and I love him, and we're _forever._ "

Mick was silent, instead he started eating his food. I left Marlon and Mick alone, going into the living room where a sober Ronnie Wood was chasing Keith around the room and begging him to put the bottle of Jack Daniels down. It was full now, so he must have gotten himself another bottle.

"It's okay, Ronnie," I said, "just leave him. It's pointless trying to get him to stop, because he won't unless he wants to."

Ronnie stopped running around after Keith and came over to me, hanging an arm around my shoulders, "seems he found a good lady the second time around."

I smiled. "It seems he did," I agreed, "if a little young."

Ronnie shrugged and withdrew his arm from me, "age is just a number, baby." He teased, "and Keith is shit at maths."  
I giggled and elbowed him in the ribs. "You're going to need to take Mick home tonight," I told him, "he's in a bad way."

Ronnie shrugged again, "I've seen him at his worst. Believe me, he can get himself home."  
"Well," I said, "I have to put up with him otherwise, because I don't really want to send him home by himself."  
Ronnie sighed, "I'll drive him."  
"You're _driving_?" I asked in disbelief. Ronnie nodded slowly, as if it was the most obvious answer in the world. "How much have you had to drink today?" I asked, not unreasonably.

"I had two cans of beer between two and four this afternoon." Ronnie replied, "I'm completely sober."  
I sighed, "well if you're sure...?"

"He doesn't live too far from me," Ronnie assured me, "we'll be fine. Don't you worry your pretty little head about it." He ruffled my hair and I grinned, playfully shoving him off of me. We watched Keith drink for another minute or so before he asked, "when do you think he'll crash?"

"I don't really care," I replied, "I'm here and can look after Marlon. Let him drink however much he wants, and tomorrow he'll have a raging hangover and will regret today."

Ronnie laughed, "you're evil, you are." I nodded in agreement. "I like it."

"Bed!" Marlon exclaimed, running into the room and holding his arms out to me to gesture for me to pick him up. "Bedtime, mummy!"  
I picked him up and then leaned over to kiss Ronnie on the cheek, "night, Ronnie. You're welcome anytime."  
He smiled, "goodnight, Mrs Richards."

"Lennon," I told him. "Lennon is my name. But you can call me Lenny."  
"I like Mrs Richards more," he said, "night." And he went to go and retrieve Mick from the dining room.

I turned to Keith, "night, baby." I said as I kissed his forehead. He was now lying on the settee on his back, staring up at the ceiling.

"Night." He replied nonchalantly.

"Love you."  
"I love you more." He sat up slowly and then kissed Marlon goodnight. "Night, little man."

"Night, daddy!" Marlon exclaimed as I carried him up to bed, watching Mick and Ronnie leave the house on my way up.


	26. Chapter 26

Linda was waiting for us in a separate room than the one which the press conference would be held in. She was photographing for Keith and I, but had arrived an hour or so early so she could speak with us and catch up.

"How's married life?" She asked us, looking from Keith to me and then back again.

"Absolutely wonderful." Keith replied brightly, putting a hand on my knee, "I love every second of it."  
"Tiring," I giggled. Keith pretended to be offended, gasping sarcastically. "You should have seen him a few weeks ago - he had Ronnie Wood and Mick Jagger round, and then I had to deal with a massive hangover the next morning -"

"Well, technically I was the one who was hungover -"

I cut my husband off, "and I had to deal with your complaining and moaning for the entire day," I teased, "which is actually worse than having to deal with the hangover yourself."  
Keith grinned and pressed a chaste kiss to my lips before he turned to Linda and I again, "would either of you like a drink? I'm just popping out to the cafe across the road."  
"A tea would be lovely." I told him.

"And for me, please." Linda agreed.

Keith nodded and kissed my forehead before he left the room.

"Are you sure that Mary and Stella can cope with James _and_ Marlon?" I asked, once again worrying about my stepson.

Linda nodded, "they'll be fine," she promised, "and if they're not, then I gave them the number of Ringo's house - he's in town and staying about ten minutes away, and said that he'd pop over if there was any problems."

"I'd like to meet Ringo. I don't think we had a chance at the party." I paused, "perhaps we could set something up?"

Linda nodded, "I will," she promised, "so - how's the baby? You must be about two and a half months pregnant now -"  
"Closer to three." I told her. "One-third of the way there."

Linda grinned, "the next six months will fly by, and before you know it, you'll have your lives taken over by a demanding little thing that you'd die for." She smiled fondly, as if she were remembering the days when James, Stella and Mary and Heather were babies.

"Well I've got Marlon already, and he's a lovely little boy -"  
"He is," Linda agreed, "and I know that you love him... but your _firstborn_ is different." She paused, "of course, you love all of your children... but your firstborn made you a mother, so it's a different sort of relationship."

Keith rushed back in, somehow managing to carry three Styrofoam cups of tea. "They're here!" He exclaimed, handing a cup of tea to both myself and Linda, "and they want us to start in five minutes!"  
"But it's not supposed to -"  
"I know!" He exclaimed, cutting me off. "Something about the BBC not being able to fit our press conference in later -"

"It's going out on the BBC?!" I exclaimed in excitement and disbelief.

Keith nodded. "Apparently, yeah!"

I turned to Linda. "Well," she said in an amused tone, "this is bigger than when Paul and I got married." She grabbed her camera, "we ready?" She asked.

Keith and I joined hands and then looked at each other before we chorused, "yes."

She went out one door, calling "good luck!" behind her as she disappeared.

* * * * *

We walked into the flashing lights of cameras and the journalists all clamouring to ask us their questions.

Keith and I sat down, and Paul stepped onto the slightly raised platform, standing beside me. Not because he was my adopted father, but because he was producing my first album - and since this press conference would partly be about the launch of it, I figured that he should be involved.

Keith quietened them down, placing our entwined hands on the table between us so that photographers could get good shots of us, and we could clearly show our love and unity. I saw Linda snapping photos, moving around like a mad thing, not caring if she was in the way of other people's cameras or not.

"Good morning!" Keith addressed the room, leaning slightly closer to his microphone, "thank you all for coming. I'd like to introduce my wife, Mrs Lennon Richards," I gave a small wave to the people in the room. "We were married seven weeks ago this Friday." He paused, "I'd also like you all to know," he said in a clear tone, "that my wife and I are expecting our first child together."

The journalists which had previously been listening and scribbling into their little notebooks began to call out their questions and comments on the news which had just been delivered to them.

Paul leant close to my microphone and asked for hush, "my adopted daughter, Lennon, has been working closely with me to record her first album." He paused. "I'm pleased to say that we have almost recorded all of the tracks. I will be producing it, and her first single - which was written by myself and my wife, Linda, will be released in three weeks."

"Are there any questions?" Keith asked.

Again, the journalists shouted out, but some of them raised their hands. With a subtle, go-ahead nod from my husband, I gestured to one of the raised hands in the front row, "proceed." I told her politely.

She stood up, smiling. "Mrs Richards, Mr Richards," she greeted, "congratulations on your marriage, and your baby."

Keith and I chorused, "thank you."  
"Can I ask how the two of you met?"  
"Well," I said, "Keith was my next door neighbour when I was living in California. He invited me to his housewarming party shortly after he moved in, and the rest is history."

Keith gestured to another journalist. He stood up, "in terms of your music career, Mrs Richards, how far do you see it going?"  
I turned to Paul and grinned, "to the toppermost of the poppermost."

There was some quiet laughs from some, and some titters from others. It seems that they were not _all_ massive Beatles fans like I was.

Another journalist was chosen, and they asked, "is it possible for some of your wedding photos to be released? My paper is hoping to run a feature on you both -"  
"Please speak to my father," I gestured to Paul behind me, "after the conference." The journalist who had spoken sat back down.

"Keith," another journalist asked, " _the Stones_ ' new album was, some might say, a let down -"  
"I'm not here to answer any questions about the band today," Keith replied politely into the microphone, "and any questions regarding it, myself, or our music should be directed to our manager."

"There seems to be a rather noticeably large age gap between yourself and your husband, Mrs Richards," a female journalist said, tugging at the hem of her skirt as she stood up, "could you confirm how many years it _is_ exactly?"  
"That question is not relevant." I dismissed her, feeling slightly guilty at my abrupt answer, but not wanting to start any scandals which could possibly ruin Keith's - or my own - career.

"Have you got any ideas on baby names?" A journalist asked.

Keith and I smiled at each other before chorusing, "Ruby Tuesday."

"You're confident that the baby will be a girl, then?" The same journalist asked as he frantically scribbled down every word which we said. 

"Well we already have my son, Marlon," Keith replied, "so we're hoping for a daughter this time."

"But we will be happy with the gender regardless, as long as the baby is healthy." I assured the press, worrying that they might misquote Keith or myself.

"Are there plans to return to California soon?"

Keith and I had actually spoken about this at length during the last few days. "No," I replied, "neither Keith or myself have plans to return to California in the next few years unless there is a tour or pressing situation which is beyond our control."

"We have time for one more question." Paul said into my microphone, bending down once again so he could speak into it.

"How did your adoption by the McCartneys come about, Mrs Richards?" A journalist who had not yet spoken asked.

"In California, Linda and Paul and I became very close. They asked me to come to London with them for a little while," I explained, purposely leaving out any mention of my relationship status with Keith at that point, "and on the flight over, I received news that my biological mother had passed away," I paused for a second, "for a few weeks in London, I was depressed and distressed, but Linda and Paul looked after me and really made me feel like I was their's. When they asked if they could adopt me, I was slightly reluctant because I didn't want to blacken my mother's memory... but I quickly came around to the idea. I've never known two people more loving than Paul and Linda McCartney."  
From in front of me, I could see that Linda was beaming, barely able to hold her camera up because of how emotional she was. I suspected that Paul felt somewhat the same, though he was considerably better at hiding his emotions, quite often.

"Thank you all for coming," Keith said into his microphone, "and we hope to see you again soon."

We held hands as we stood up and left the room, Paul behind us, and Linda hurrying after.


	27. Chapter 27

Ronnie Wood had come over to the McCartney home shortly after we had arrived home from our press conference - Paul and Linda had said that they had a surprise for me, and apparently Ronnie - and Keith, even - were in on it. Ronnie took Mary, Stella, James and Marlon back over to mine and Keith's house and promised to babysit them for the night.

Linda was in the kitchen preparing dinner, and Paul was entertaining Keith. I, meanwhile, was in the library tinkering with John Lennon's piano. Idly, I played and replayed 'Imagine', singing along softly.

"That should be the A-side for your second single." I jumped and my eyes darted over to the doorway where the voice had come from.

" _Ringo Starr_!?" I exclaimed in surprise and delight, though by this point I knew that I shouldn't be surprised when a rockstar crept up on me.

He came in and kissed the top of my head, "you must be Lennon," he said, "Paul and Linda's daughter."  
"And my beautiful wife," I smiled at Keith, who was watching Ringo and I from the doorway. He came in and shook Ringo's hand, "it's great to see you again, Ringo."

"I'm sure you don't remember the last time," Ringo teased.

"I was quite drunk at that party." Keith admitted, flashing his gaze to me. I knew that the same thoughts were going through both of our minds - remembering our night of almost-passion. "Well," he said brightly, "I'll leave the two of you to talk. Linda said that dinner will be done in about fifteen minutes." We thanked him and Keith left the room.

"So how long have you two been together then?"

"Together, about three months."

"And you're having a baby," it wasn't a question, "congratulations."  
I smiled, "thank you." Ringo smiled in response. "And what about you?" I asked him, "the last I heard, you were living in LA with your new wife."

"Currently," he replied, "we're splitting our time between Los Angeles and London. We're in London for the time being."

"And why is that?" I asked.

"Because Paul asked me to help with a new artist he's working with," Ringo answered, "sent me a few of her tapes - she _is_ quite good."

I knew for a fact that Paul wasn't working with any artists other than myself.

"Oh yeah?" I asked, playing along with his game, "have you met her yet?"

"I have."

"What was she like?" I asked him, genuinely interested in how he saw me.

"She seems lovely." He answered. "She's got a beautiful singing voice, though it seems she's lacking in confidence a little," he paused, "but we can sort that out. She also does a beautiful cover of 'Imagine' by a dearly departed friend of mine."

"It's so lovely to meet you, Ringo Starr," I told him, once again shaking his hand. "I can't wait to work with you."

"Nor I with you, Mrs Lennon Richards." He grinned.

"Dinner's ready!" Linda called, her voice echoing throughout downstairs. Ringo and I left the library and went into the dining room.

"I was thinking, Paul," Ringo said as he ate his risotto, "Lenny should record 'Imagine'."

"As in John's song?" Paul asked, surprised by the suggestion.

Ringo nodded. "I heard her singing it at the piano, and it's beautiful, really." Ringo turned to me, "you have a gift, Lennon."

I thanked him, "to hear you saying that means so much, Ringo. I've admired _The Beatles_ for so long, and it's just another level of praise to hear you saying such lovely things about me."

Ringo smiled. "Well, you deserve it, luv." He used the same nicknames as Paul - habits leftover from their youth in Liverpool, I suspected.

"'Imagine' sounds good, yeah." Paul agreed, "and it was released under Apple, so I don't even think we need Yoko's permission."  
"Thank God," Linda said.

"She's a nightmare." Keith agreed, shovelling his dinner into his mouth.

"What do you mean by that?" I had heard a little about Yoko, of course, but I was curious as to how try the rumours were. 

"Well," Paul said slowly but not unkindly, "Julian told me that on the day John was cremated, Yoko brought his ashes back to the Dakota Building and asked Julian if he wanted to hold the urn - which was still warm."  
"That's horrible." I winced, wondering how poor seventeen-year-old Julian Lennon would have felt.

"And she ruined the studio sessions." Ringo agreed.

"She broke up _The Beatles_." Linda said sombrely. "She ruined it all and for the entire world."

Paul sighed, "I honestly blame her for John's death."

"But she gave him Sean." I pointed out. "And John loved Sean, right?"

"Yes," Paul agreed, "but she broke up John's first marriage. She made John abandon his wife and little boy. I can't forgive her for that -"

"Enough talk of crazy Japanese conceptual artists." Keith interrupted, "you can't change the past, so why spend the present dwelling on it?"

"It seems my husband has some words of wisdom," I teased, quoting Paul, " _for once_."

Keith pretended to be annoyed, elbowing me in the ribs. "Very funny," he said, "you're just as bad as I am -"

"Oh shush," I answered, not unkindly, "or I'll eat your dessert."

Keith was quiet from then on.


	28. Chapter 28

"Hmm," Keith mused as he put the needle back to the beginning of the record, "it's good..."

"But?"

"Well," he replied thoughtfully, rubbing my baby bump absentmindedly as he thought on how best to phrase what he had to say next, "I think you need to write your own songs."  
"Well I'm not very good at that." I told him.

"Well neither was I at first." He replied, "but you get better."

"Why do I need to write my own stuff?"

"Because you get more money from it." He shrugged. "I don't _fully_ understand it myself - I just know that if you write your own songs, you get more money from the sales."

"Hmm." I answered thoughtfully. Keith put the record back to the beginning. I slapped his arm playfully, "you're going to wear it out!"

"I've only listened to it four times!" He admonished playfully. "Marl!" He called to his son, "what do you think of mummy's first ever record?" It had been three weeks since the press conference and dinner with Ringo Starr, and today was the day which my first ever single, _Wanderlust_ , had been released. Paul had dropped round a copy of the single this morning himself, promising to give me a call about midday - once myself, Keith, Linda and him had had a chance to listen to it properly.

Marlon listened for a few seconds before replying, "I love it!" And he hurried off to play with his toys.

I smiled. Despite the fact that he wasn't mine, I had grown quite fond of Marlon in the past few months, and I thought of him as my own.

"Do you think that people will like it?" I asked Keith. It had been a question that I had been asking everybody who had heard the record; Paul, mostly, and then George Martin. Even the secretary, Kathy, had heard snippets of it - though I hadn't asked her for her opinion. She was still snooty and did not like me at all.

Keith pressed a soft kiss to my forehead. "I think that people will love it," he replied, placing the needle at the beginning again.

I giggled and leant down, lifting the needle off of the A-side. "Can we try the B?" I asked him, "so far you've only heard _Wanderlust_."

"It's beautiful."

"Hmm," I mused, "Ringo wants me to do 'Imagine' next."

"It's a good song." Keith agreed. "I remember he mentioned it at dinner."

"It _is_ a good song - but I don't want to cover it and be worse than John Lennon -"

"You won't be."

"I can't beat John Lennon." I told him simply. Others might have told me otherwise, but I knew that it was a simple fact - nobody would _ever_ be able to beat 'Imagine' when it was sung by John Lennon.

The phone rang at around midday, when Keith and I were tangled in the sheets and in the middle of a lovemaking session. Recently, my sex drive had been on overload, and I couldn't get enough of my husband. I blamed it on the pregnancy hormones, and the way that his brown eyes watched me from across rooms.

Giggling, I answered the phone. "H-hello?" I said, managing to contain myself.

"The record." Linda said brightly by way of a greeting.

"Yes." I agreed. "The record - what did you think!?"  
"I loved it!" She squealed. "And Mary's stolen it, so I need another copy -"  
I laughed, "tell Mar that I'll get her her own copy."

"No need," Linda replied, "Paul's gone to Abbey Road to go and get some for all of us - do you and Keith want another?"

Keith was massaging my baby bump. I was watching him, only half paying attention to what my adopted mother and best friend was saying.

"Hmmm?" I asked, realising that she had spoken and I had no idea what she had said.

"I said," Linda giggled, "do you want Paul to get you and Keith another copy?"  
"No need." I repeated, using the same words that Linda had only seconds before, "I'll just go out and buy one -"

"But you can get them free from Abbey Road -"  
"I don't believe that _my_ record is actually on sale in shops." I told her, "so I have to see it for myself."

Keith laughed.

Somebody was banging on the door using the big brass door knocker. "Lin," I said, "I have to go - someone's knocking on the door -"

"See you later." She said, "love you, bye!"   
"Love you!" And she hung up. I turned around in the bed. "Are you going to get that or -"

"Marlon!" Keith exclaimed, jumping out of the bed and grabbing his dressing down. He threw it on as he hurried down the stairs, me following after him slightly slower because I didn't want to slip and risk hurting the baby.

Marlon was just opening the door.

"Marlon!" I exclaimed, grabbing him by the shoulders and pulling him back from the door. He looked at me, and Keith (who was opening the door himself) in surprise. "You mustn't open that door." I chided. "It could be anyone -"

"Lennon!" There were four teenage girls standing on the doorstep. Each of them was holding up a pressing of my single. My mouth fell open in shock.

"Hello girls," Keith said smoothly, flashing his signature smile at them. "What can myself and my lovely family do for you today?"

"We love your record, Lennon!" The girls chorused, ignoring Keith and his words completely. I picked Marlon up and sat him on my hip, taking a few steps closer to the door in order to be able to talk with the girls.

"Thank you," I said, beaming. "It's lovely to hear that - how did you get it, hear it, then get back here so fast?" It was only midday, still reasonably early by the Richards' standards.

"I live right by a record shop and the tube station." One girl, who had brown hair and green eyes, said. "These three came to my house early this morning, heard your song, and then went and brought copies of their own - we came right here!" She held her pressing out to me, "would you sign it?!"

"And mine!" The other three chorused.

I nodded, handing Marlon off to Keith. "Sure," I said brightly, "let me just grab a pen -"

Keith went into the living room, picked up a pen, and then came back. He handed it to me and then said, "I'm going to go and give Marl his lunch - you want anything?"

"An omelette would be great." I said as I took the first girl's record and asked her, "what's your name?"  
"Charlotte." I wrote her a little note;

_Charlotte_

_With love,_

_Lennon Richards xx_

And then I signed the other girls'. I signed each one with their names and then my own.

"Thanks for stopping by, girls." I said, "and, if you don't mind me asking - how did you know where I lived?"  
Charlotte, the girl with brown hair and green eyes, said, "Anita Pallenberg told us." And then the four of them turned and walked back down the garden path.

My heart skipped a beat when she said that, and I was seething. "Right." I replied as I closed the door with a slight _bang_. I went into the kitchen. "Anita knows where we live -"  
"I told her." Keith replied calmly, buttering some bread for a sandwich for Marlon.

"You _what_!?" I yelled.

"I told her where we lived." Keith answered. "She said that she wanted to post some presents through to Marlon, and so I gave her the address -"

"She's distributing it to the whole fucking world!" I exclaimed, losing my cool - what little of it I had, anyway. "There is no _fucking_ way that I'm going to stand for this -"

"Well Marlon is her son -"

"She kidnapped him!" I seethed, reminding Keith of the past in California. "She's a drug addict, and -"

"I don't think we should be doing this over Marlon's head, do you?" He asked calmly.

To be honest, it was making me more mad that he was being so calm about the whole matter. But, he was right. I shouldn't slag Anita off in front of her biological son. I took a deep breath. "Marlon," I said calmly, trying to keep my anger for Keith only, "would you mind going upstairs for a little bit -"

Keith cut me off. "He's not going upstairs." He handed the sandwich to his son, cut into quarters. "Anita has the right to send him things and -"  
"What if she tries to take him again!?" I retorted angrily, maintaining the belief now that if Keith didn't want Marlon to go upstairs, then he clearly wanted him to be witness to this row - the first row that we had had since we had been married. "Could you really cope with that again, Keith?!"  
"You're just scared of her." He waved in dismissal.

"Excuse me?!" He didn't answer, instead pottering about and making me an omelette. " _I'm_ scared of Anita Pallenberg?" He was still silent. "Maybe I didn't hear you right -"  
"Oh go and take a shower or something," Keith waved a hand at me again, "pregnancy hormones are obviously getting to you -"

"You know what!?" I exclaimed, "fuck you!" And I stormed back upstairs.

I threw my clothes on as quickly as I could and then marched out of the house, ignoring Keith's question, "where are you going!?" which he called out to me as I marched down the garden path.

I went to Abbey Road Studios, because I had to do something, and I had to record a song.


	29. Chapter 29

A tour was proposed for after the album had sold 250,000 copies. Three months ago, my first single was released, and now it was my album.

Paul had told me that it had sold 300,000 copies in the first twenty-four hours of its release.

"You need to tour." He told me, "it's the way to make big money. Royalties and writing credits are nothing in comparison."  
"Paul," I said, a hand on my inflated stomach, "I'm six months pregnant. I _can't_ tour."  
"Well I know that." He answered in a tone that implied that that much had been obvious, "but what about after?"

"You think that I'm going to leave a _newborn_ with Keith?" I asked incredulously, "he barely remembers to feed himself most of the time - let alone a little baby."

"So take the baby with you then."

"And leave Marlon with Keith?"

"He can cope." Paul answered, sounding short with me, "he's not an idiot."

"I'm not touring." I told him simply, "not with this album, anyway -"  
"But -"  
"No, Paul." I turned my back on him and crossed my arms against his chest.

Paul sighed. "You don't give him enough credit, you know -"  
"Paul." I snapped, turning around and glaring at him. "I didn't ask you for your fucking opinion -"

"You're the worst thing which could have happened to Keith Richards, y'know." My mouth fell open in disbelief.

" _What_ did you say!?"

"I love you, Lennon," Paul said, "but you're worth so much more than he is. And also, Keith is the worst thing that could have happened to you -"  
"But you said that I was the worst - "

"I know what I said." He paused, taking a deep breath before he continued, "Lennon, he'll hurt you. He'll get you into drugs -"  
"I won't do drugs." I told my adopted father firmly.

"Everybody says that. Hardly anybody sticks to it. Keith has an addictive personality - where are you going?"  
"Out." I snapped, leaving my house. I didn't want to listen to Paul anymore. He was making me angry, and anger was bad for the baby.

Keith Richards was the best thing that could have ever happened to me, I was sure of it.


	30. Chapter 30

_December, two years later_

"It says here that you were married to Mr Keith Richards for twenty-eight months." The judge paused, eyeing me up from behind his half-moon spectacles, "is that right, Miss...?"

"McCartney." I finished for him, "and yes, it is."

"And the reason that you filed for divorce?"

"Keith became an excessive drug user, and he regularly drank more than was reasonable." I said. "Sometimes he would get mad at Marlon, his son and my stepson, and then our daughter together, Ruby. Even sometimes at me!" I paused, "one night it got so bad that I took Ruby and Marlon and went to my parents' house to sleep. It had never been that bad before - that was when I knew; if you have to leave your home in the middle of the night because you're scared of your husband, then there's a problem."

The judge nodded. "Well," he said, "I can grant you full custody of your daughter, Ruby Tuesday Richards," he paused, "but I am reluctant to award you full custody of Marlon Richards because he is not your's biologically -"

"I have been his mother for the past two years." I told the judge, desperate for the little boy, knowing that I was his last chance of a normal life - that the women who Keith had been keeping as company as of late would not care for him like I did. "I want him to be with his sister. Why should Ruby get a chance at a normal life, and Marlon shouldn't?"  
"And what do you call normal?"

"A life away from music." I paused, "it's okay to listen to it, but no child should ever have to be subjected to a life which Marlon and Ruby have been for the last two years. It's inhumane. It's unkind -"

"Will you allow Mr Richards visitation rights?" The judge asked.

I nodded, "of course I will - but only if he cleans himself up and shows that he can keep himself well for the kids."

"Well," the judge bit his lip, looking at me, "you have a music career yourself, Miss McCartney - under the name 'Lennon Richards'. What do you plan to do about that, if you say that no child should be brought up in music?"

"I've given up my music career." I told him. "If I won custody of both children, then I'd move to California - I have a small house there - and I'd raise them as if they were of no relation to fame like the Richards name."

"And if you had custody of only Ruby?"  
"Then I would buy another house, here in London, as close to Marlon and Keith as I could get. I would make sure that Marlon got to school alright, had everything that he wanted and was being properly cared for."

The judge sighed. "You seem to have such a good heart," the judge said, "it's unusual to get a stepmother in here who wants anything other than a complete separation from the life that they had with their husband - including any stepchildren."  
"Marlon is my son." I told the judge firmly, "regardless of who might have carried him for nine months."

The judge thought for less than a second before he banged his gavel and said, "I grant you full custody of your daughter, Ruby Tuesday Richards, and of your stepson, Marlon Richards."

* * * * *

I sat Marlon in front of the TV - now quite out of date because it certainly had not been new when we'd bought it for our house - and made sure that he was comfortable. I kissed his forehead. "I love you, Marl." I told him for the umpteenth time since I had legally adopted him two years previously, just after Ruby had been born. 

"Love you too, mum." Marlon answered automatically, drinking from the carton of juice which I had given him.

I went over to Ruby, who was happily playing with her dolls and teddy bear. "I love you, Rubes." I said, "if you need anything, then ask Marlon, okay?" She nodded and continued to play.

I went over to my laptop which was sitting on the counter top of the breakfast bar. I sat down, opened it up and made a new document, titled 'Woman Like Me: Being Mrs Richards'. I intended to write a book about my time with Keith. If there was some money to be made from my story, then I needed it. I had to support Ruby and Marlon forever. They were my life now. I was young, but I knew what was right.

I wrote the last chapter first. I knew exactly how I wanted it to end...

_And now, as I sit writing these words, I've just sat Marlon down in front of the TV, and Ruby's playing with her dollies. She has a great imagination, just like her dad._

_I hope one day that Keith can see Ruby and Marlon, but he has to get clean first. These kids mean more to me than anything in the world, and I have to protect them. Keith, if you're reading this, and you care even one iota for your two babies - give up the drugs. Give up the women. Give up London, because it is what ruined us. I love you._


End file.
